#so it provides me with stronger affirmation

[romance-incubomp3]

it’s weird like if family or friends give me praise for something I feel awkward and can be indifferent to it but if a stranger or acquaintance tells me I have a cool outfit or that I’m talented at something I’m already making wedding plans

#the less close I am to a person the more the positive attention means to me #family or friends: wow good job😃 me: aw youre just saying that #random stranger: wow good job😃 me: haha omg thankssss💖💖💖💖💖 #I love attention from strangers and acquaintances☺️ #I don’t know I guess it’s just easier to trust as genuine? #like loved ones might exaggerate 1) to make you feel good #2) their love for you alters their perception and they exaggerate your #abilities or appearance in their mind #but people who don’t know or love you won’t praise you unless they genuinely mean it #so it provides me with stronger affirmation

[doumadono]

hello

i'm incredibly sorry to ask for this emergency request

but would it be okay to ask you to write comfort for suicide thoughts with hawks or aizawa? I understand that you may be uncomfortable with it, so it's okay if this ask won't be fulfilled

thank you either way and have a nice day!

Aizawa & Hawks with s/o having suicidal thoughts

EMERGENCY REQS MASTERLIST

Aizawa

Aizawa, typically reserved, expresses concern when he notices the change in their behavior, demonstrating his deep connection with them.

Rather than pressing for details, Aizawa lets his partner share at their own pace, creating a safe space where they feel comfortable opening up.

Aizawa would stay up late, ensuring he's there when his partner needs to talk. His gruff exterior softens as he listens attentively, providing a safe space for them to express their darkest, suicidal thoughts.

Aizawa understands the power of silence. Sometimes, they'd sit together without saying a word, knowing that just having someone by their side can be reassuring.

With a rare smile, Aizawa offers words of encouragement, acknowledging the struggles they face. "You're stronger than you think. I believe in you, Y/N. Please. I can't lose you, baby."

Aizawa works with them to develop a structured routine, focusing on small, achievable goals to gradually overcome challenges.

Aizawa helps them establish a routine, emphasizing the importance of self-care. Whether it's making sure they eat properly or get enough rest, he takes practical steps to support their well-being.

Knowing the therapeutic effects of physical activity, Aizawa suggests training together. It becomes a way to release pent-up emotions and build a sense of achievement.

Aizawa encourages them to engage in activities they enjoy. Whether it's reading, drawing, or another hobby, it becomes a positive outlet for their emotions.

Aizawa gently encourages seeking professional help, emphasizing that heroes aren't just those who fight villains but also those who face their inner battles.

Aizawa assures them that they're not alone in this journey. "We'll face this together, one step at a time."

Aizawa helps them connect with friends and build a support system, reinforcing the idea that seeking help is a sign of strength.

Hawks

Hawks, perceptive as always, notices a change in their demeanor. Without prying, he gently encourages them to share what's on their mind.

When they finally open up about their dark thoughts, Hawks listens attentively, his wings wrapping around them protectively, creating a comforting cocoon.

"You're not alone in this, you know. We're a team, remember? Let me share this burden with you," Hawks says, his voice calm and reassuring.

Hawks takes them on flights, providing a unique perspective and a momentary escape from the darkness.

Hawks uses his playful nature to bring laughter into their lives, understanding that humor can be a powerful antidote to despair.

Hawks is affectionate, expressing love through hugs, kisses, and words of affirmation. "You mean the world to me, and I'll always be here for you. I know those thoughts are super overwhelming but I know how strong you are."

Hawks encourages them to explore creative outlets, channeling their emotions into something positive. Whether it's writing, painting, or another form of expression, it becomes a therapeutic outlet.

He shares stories of his own struggles, highlighting that vulnerability is not a weakness, but a strength that can connect people.

On difficult days, he surprises them with small gestures of affection, whether it's breakfast in bed or a note expressing his love and support.

Hawks collaborates with them on setting achievable goals, celebrating every small victory together. "We'll conquer this together, darling."

Hawks paints a vivid picture of a brighter future, reminding them that each day brings new possibilities and opportunities for happiness.

#emergency request #aizawa fluff #shota aizawa x reader #aizawa x reader #aizawa headcanons #mha headcanons #bnha headcannons #hawks x you #hawks fluff #keigo takami x you #mha hcs #takami keigo #keigo x reader #keigo takami x reader #keigo takami x y/n #hawks x reader #hawks x y/n #hawks hcs #bnha fluff #mha fluff

[sadnymi]

"My Dreams Are Just Dreams... Until They're Not" modern Mattheo riddle × reader [chapter 5]

[previous chapter][Next chapter]

Note : this chapter can be read as a standalone

Warnings: SMUT18+, strong language,childhood trauma ,abusing, cheating, angst, death, sexual harassment ( not the main characters)

Please understand that this chapter will delve into darker themes. I urge you to pay close attention to the trigger warnings provided.

words: 3,971

Reading Time : 14mins 26sec

Summery: A week at my best friend's beach house, surrounded by our friends as we meet her soon-to-be fiancé's companions, marks a turning point where the very fabric of my beliefs begins to unravel. It's during this week that I encounter the boy who incessantly appears in my dreams, blurring the distinction between the world of my subconscious and the tangible reality before me. Matthe Riddle emerges as the poison I willingly imbibe, a curse that feels akin to a dream, weaving its tendrils into the very essence of my being.

In the labyrinth of our minds, there exists a chamber where memories are stored,

guarded by a sentinel of the soul. This guardian, born of instinct and necessity, shields us from the piercing arrows of past pain.

It enshrouds our recollections in a veil of forgetfulness, concealing them from our conscious sight.

Yet beyond this protective veil lies a deeper truth—a truth of scars left untended, wounds left unhealed.

Shielding us from the torment of certain memories, like the haunting recollection of my own death .

My name is y/n Celestia daughter of Seraphina Celestia and Leopold Celestia

"My Dark Lord," my stepfather bowed reverently, and I followed suit, mimicking the formal gesture. "Allow me to introduce you to my wife, Seraphina Celestia, and my stepdaughter, Y/N Celestia." I lowered my head in acknowledgment, following the protocol instilled by my mother.

I was only eight when I first saw him, the young boy standing next to the dark lord with so much pride , observing us with an inscrutable gaze.

"Daughter of Leopold Celestia," our lord addressed me, rising from his seat and approaching us. "The heir of the Celestia family."

"I promise to protect her until she comprehends her role, my lord," my stepfather pledged, his voice resolute as he affirmed his duty to safeguard me until I reached maturity.

And that's when I realized my cue to depart had arrived. Mother's words echoed in my mind, admonishing me never to bring shame upon our family. I was to comport myself as befitting a princess, fulfilling the expectations laid upon me. I had made a solemn vow to Mother—to be obedient and dutiful in all things.

As I lingered in the adjacent chamber, awaiting their return, he appeared and settled beside me. "He's not your father?" he inquired gently.

"No, my father died before I was born " I responded matter-of-factly, devoid of the sting of grief or the weight of sorrow. "Mother deemed him a coward, claiming his demise stemmed from weakness and his inability to protect us."

He regarded me with a mixture of confusion and curiosity, giving me more attention than anyone ever did "And she believes your stepfather to be an improvement? That he is stronger and will safeguard You ?"

"I am bound to obey her," I murmured softly, casting a cautious glance over my shoulder to ensure our conversation remained private.

"So, do you like her ?" he probed, his lips curling into a knowing smile.

"Mother insists that in this world, emotions must be set aside," I replied, my tone tinged with resignation.

"She’s so annoying ," he remarked, prompting a rare burst of laughter from my lips. "What's so amusing?"

"I find her annoying , too," I confessed, still scanning our surroundings for any prying ears.

"And what of you? Do you hold affection for your mother?" I ventured, seeking to reciprocate his candor.

"I hardly know anything about her," he admitted

"I'm sorry," I offered sympathetically.

"Don't be," he replied with a shrug. "I doubt I'm missing much."

His response elicited another smile from me, a glimmer of camaraderie shared amidst the confines of our respective familial burdens.

"What about your father?" I inquired.

"We're good,"

"Do you obey him?"

"It's more of an understanding between us," he explained.

"Has he... has he ever hurt you?" I whispered softly, afraid of my own voice reaching the wrong ears and causing trouble.

"Of course not. Does yours?" he asked with genuine concern.

"When I do something wrong," I admitted, looking away. His hands found mine, and as our eyes met, I noticed the red bruise from yesterday. Panic set in, but his reassuring grip eased my anxiety. "He's the one who did this,? " I nodded hesitantly , then he squeezed my hand comfortingly.

"Don't be afraid, Y/N."

Come on, Y/N, we need to hurry if want to see where the hat will place the newcomers," Sarah's voice echoed from outside my dorm. I pulled away from the kiss with Mattheo, trying to compose myself.

"Yeah, just give me a minute," I replied,giving him a warming glance to not make any sound and trying to sound normal as much as I can

"You need to go, Mattheo, right now," I whispered urgently, breaking away from him once more.

He leaned in to give me one final kiss before responding, "Tell her to fuck off." His playful tone didn't match the seriousness in his eyes.

"Don't be so rude," I chided, cupping my face he smiled softly “ I will need to have a word with Lorenzo about how a cock blocker his girlfriend is “ I blushed and smiled shyly at him I was still a virgin we were seventeen but the topic still made me nervous Sarah said she did it with Lorenzo penny did too they said it’s wasn’t even that painful and after the first time it’s only about the pleasure , Mattheo never pushed me, giving me the time I needed.

"Y/N, I swear to God," Sarah's voice grew impatient, and I called back that I was coming. Grappling my scarf, I hurriedly put it on, realizing I had no time for makeup to conceal the red marks left by the boy smirking at my struggle.

But then it happened—I forgot to hide my sleeves. Panic gripped me as I noticed that where his eyes were on, Mattheo touched my hands softly, his expression turning from anger to hurt.

"You said he had stopped," he said, with me trying to hide my hands again Tears welled up at the sight of the pain in his voice.

"Mattheo, please," I whispered, shaking my head. "He didn't mean to, I—"

"I'm going to fucking kill him "

"I want one," I whispered, my head still resting on his chest."Why can't I have one right now?"

"Someday, baby," he replied, his voice soft and reassuring.

"Why not now? Because I'm useless to the Dark Lord? Sarah joined the Death Eaters, Penny is going to..." My voice trailed off, frustration tainting my words.

"You are not useless," he said firmly, sitting up straight and meeting my gaze with seriousness. "Someday, I will let you rule this whole thing."

A smile spread across my face at his words. "You're so sweet."

"Oh, Lord, don't call me sweet in front of anyone, or I will have to kill them," he teased, eliciting a laugh from me.

"You know, I'm starting to get offended by you always wearing red," he remarked after a moments of silence .

"It's just a color, baby," I replied, trying to brush it off . But deep down, I knew it was more than just a color. Some wounds take longer to heal than others, and some keep on bleeding long after. Wearing red was my way of concealing the scars, a reminder of the battles I've fought and the pain I've endured.

cuddling within his embrace, I savored the peaceful moment, surrendering myself to the security of his arms enveloping me.

I tilted my head, resting my chin upon his chest, allowing myself the luxury of studying his striking countenance. Every contour, every scar, every nuance of his face captivated my attention, as I immersed myself fully in the sight of his handsome features

“ matt ? “

“ yes love ? “

“I'd love you until my last breath”

At my mother's funeral, I stand as a solitary figure, ensnared by a profound numbness that eclipses the mournful symphony of raindrops around me. The gray clouds and cascading rain envelop me in an abyss of numbing sorrow, the sting of her disdain piercing through me despite her cruelty.

*I feel utterly alone, adrift in an ocean of pain and loss, burdened by the weight of a secret I dare not share with anyone.*

The truth about my father's death, recalling the last conversation I had with my mother. I shake my head, taking hesitant steps back, hoping no one notices my absence at her funeral.

Then, I run. Far away from the somber voices and vacant stares, seeking solace beneath the shelter of a tree, I close my eyes, trying to catch my breath.

"Y/N," a voice interrupts my solitude, and I startle at the sight of him standing before me.

"What are you doing here? You shouldn't be here," I exclaim, my voice trembling with fear as I scan the area, ensuring no one else is nearby.

"Calm down, it's okay," he reassures me, brushing away my tears with a gentle touch. "I would kill anyone who dares to interrupt and puts that terrified look on your face."

I know he means it, and that's precisely what terrifies me.

"Please, Matt," “ you know how dangerous it is , if anyone saw you with you “

we do know, as the heir of Slytherin he cannot have a weakness no one should know about our relationship people in our world will use it against him taking advantage of the situation , my voice barely above a whisper. With one hand, he pulls me closer, wrapping his arms around me, and I rest my head on his chest, listening to the steady rhythm of his heartbeat.

"It's okay," he murmurs into my hair, placing soft kisses there.

“ y/n ? “

“ yes matt “

"I know you're hiding something."

"I will talk to my father,I will ask him for permission to kill him."

"He's a loyal soldier to your father; he won't just allow it," I shook my head, standing up and making my way toward him.

"I hate the thought of you with him in the same house."

"He stopped hitting me, I promise," I tried to avoid his gaze. He knew me so well, even without speaking. He could feel my pain as much as I could feel his. Our souls had a language of their own, and he would catch my lies.

"Then I would just do it."

"No, no, stop it, mate, please."

Walking back and forth, his hands tangled in his hair, I approached him, attempting to calm him down. I reached out for his hands, hoping them with mine

"Then marry me," I took a step back, trying to understand his words.

"What?"

"Marry me. We are old enough now. Marry me, and I will tell my father I will do it your way. I will let him plan a wedding. I will—"

"I can't let you do it. They will ruin you. Those people will do anything to take your place. Even if that’s mean using me to get to you, No, God, I don't even trust your father enough. "

"Stop thinking about anyone else for a goddamn minute," he walked away, yelling angrily. "Stop caring about anyone else. I'm tired of holding back; I feel like you're tying my hands."

"So what? Let you go and hit my stepfather to death like last time? And then stand there trying to explain why you did it, blaming it on a misunderstanding. You know what happened last time."

“"No, I don't," he replied, his gaze piercing with anger. I despised the fact that we are fighting

"Please, I don't want to fight," I sighed, closing my eyes. I hoped that whatever was wrong between us would dissipate when I opened them again.

"And I'm tired of you always running instead of facing the situation. This weakness you've convinced yourself of is just an illusion, cause deep down you can’t move on from being

the little girl who was afraid to disobey him," he retorted with frustration.

"That's it, the tears I was holding, I couldn't contain them anymore. I pushed him away from me, crying heavily.

"Baby, I didn't—" he realized his own words, attempting to hold me. I pulled away, screaming, "Don't you dare fucking touch me," trying to reach the door.

Just as I was about to pass his tall frame, Mattheo moved his arm quickly to block my way. He didn't touch me, only reaching for the wall to stop me from leaving . I flinched, and squeezed my eyes shut while raising my arms in front of my face. My body expected a hit as my mind told me that I just made a fool out of myself.

Silence fell around us. Realizing what i just did , I was ashamed, and the hurt in his eyes made me sob heavily.

"Baby," he came closer, and I was shaking.

"I would never... never hurt you. Did you think I was going to?" Pain, a lot of pain, echoed in his voice and eyes, and it was all my fault.

"I'm so, so sorry. I know you would never. Please don't be hurt. I'm so sorry," saying while sobbing

"Stop apologizing, baby, please," he uttered softly, bridging the gap between us. His hand extended tentatively, wary of any residual fear.

"I would never hurt you, love " he reassured me. Our fingers intertwined, a subtle tug pulling me closer, and I wrapped my arms around him, letting the tears wet his t-shirt.

"I know. I'm so sorry," I repeated, taking a step to look into his eyes just for him to cup my face softly.

"I would burn any hand that ever thought about touching a strand of your hair. The thought of you being hurt makes me want to burn them all down. I would never hurt you, baby."

"I didn't know why I reacted like that. I'm so sorry. It's like my body has a reaction of its own," I confessed, and he kissed my forehead while wiping my tears away.

"No, it's all my fault. I shouldn't have yelled like that. I shouldn't have scared you. Fucking hell, I'm so sorry, baby," he apologized, and I nodded, letting him kiss me softly, his lips moving cautiously with mine.

"We both were. I let what happened get to me, and I'm sorry. I think we need a break—" he tried to talk, but I shook my head.

Please, Matt, I hurt you. You hurt me I think we need some time to calm down ," I pleaded.

"You didn't hurt me," he insisted.

"I will see you at the beach house. He agreed to go this year as well. I will come to Sarah's once you arrive. We'll go earlier; he has an early business," I explained.

"Baby—" he began.

"It's okay, Matt ," I stepped back, going to the door, turned around one last time,

"I love you." He said it softly like a prayer with his eyes on mine , and my tears ran once more.

Once Sarah saw me, she got away from Lorenzo. "Are you okay?" I nodded, wiping my tears away. "Can you take me home?"

Being at the beach house this year without my mother was a new experience, the absence of her presence leaving the house darker, more sinister, as if it had taken on her essence. I tried to maintain a deliberate distance between myself and the monster I had to tolerate, struggling to divert my attention to the rhythmic sounds of the ocean and the invigorating breeze. I resisted the urge to reach out to Mattheo, to ask Sarah about him.

"What are you doing?" His voice cut through the air like a knife, and I hated the tremor that ran through my body.

"Just reading," I replied without turning around, feeling his hand on my shoulder in the most unsettling way. He had never touched me like that before, and I felt disgusted.

"Did you spread your legs for him, princess?" His words were like venom, and I recoiled, taking a step back.

"What?" I managed to utter, my heart racing with fear and confusion.

"Don't act so innocent. I know what's going on between you two. I wasn't sure until he almost killed me that night I hit that pretty face of yours. I did that on purpose, you know?" His smirk made my skin crawl, and I instinctively moved towards the door, trying not to alert him.

"You're sick," I shot back, my voice trembling as I attempted to make my way to the door without drawing attention.

"You know that time I brought those women to the house in front of your whore of a mother? I was thinking of you the whole time while fucking them," he taunted, his words like daggers piercing my soul. "Sometimes I think about him fucking you as well, my princess, my innocent girl."

I ran to the door, screaming, when he grabbed my hair so hard that tears sprang to my eyes immediately.

"Look at this skin, so soft, and that fucking body," he murmured, his grip tightening as I struggled against him trying to fight him as much as I could

"He will kill you. He will fucking kill you, and I will let him. I will stand here watching him burn you alive, and I will watch every single second of it." I shouted at him believing every single word of it

"Shut up, you stupid slut," he spat venomously, his words like acid burning through my soul.

"It's about time he arrived with Sarah. I will tell him. I will let him burn you alive, you fucking monster," he continued, pulling me even harder until I felt like he would tear me apart. He threw me onto the sofa, hitting me in the face before gripping it so tightly it felt like my bones would shatter.

"so bad we'll be already dead before that," he taunted, relishing in my fear and confusion. "Oh, how I love that look. It's almost the same as your father's before I put that dagger in his heart, and the same as your mother's before I choked her to death. Your stupid, stupid mother thought I needed power and you needed a father. It didn't take her long to agree, to hand you to me on a golden plate," he sneered, his words dripping with malice.

"He's going to kill you either way," I retorted defiantly, refusing to cry as I met his gaze with anger and frustration.

"Will he, princess ? Then you won't get rid of me because I'll search for you in death too," I threatened, my hand holding my hair clip With lightning speed, I lunged at him, aiming for his neck, and he screamed as it pierced his skin.

Seizing the opportunity, I scrambled to my feet and made a run for it, he caught me by my leg

and I kicked him as hard as I could, trying to break free. He locked the doors with a fucking spell , trapping me inside, and panic surged through me as I realized he must have planned it all along.

I pulled my phone and run straight to my room decided to get out through the window or the roof

Grabbing my phone and running straight to my room locking the door behind me “Alohomora” I said but nothing happened “Alohomora” I screamed it again but the window is still closed he must have put a spell to make sure I can’t use it trying to calm myself down I grabbing my phone, I dialed Mattheo's number, my voice trembling as I spoke.

"Mattheo, you were right," I confessed, my heart pounding with fear. "He should have died."

"I'm on my way," he assured me, his voice filled with urgency.

"I think it's too late—I just wanted to say it back," I whispered, tears stinging my eyes as I struggled to open the window. "I love you. I love you so, so much. From the first time I saw you, you were the most precious thing I ever had. I love you, and I will love you in every life I live. I love you. I don't want to die without saying it one last time."

"You're not going to fucking die baby I’m coming hold on for me okay? " he replied firmly, and i river of tears started to fall

I ended the call, tossing the phone aside, and focused on finding a way out, my heart filled with determination and love

Unlocking the room, I took a deep breath, steeling myself for what lay ahead. With no sign of him, I moved carefully downstairs

“ princess come here , I promise I will forgive you for that small accident “

“ you can’t hide forever princess “

Close your eyes and breathe he can’t hurt you- if you can’t see him that’s mean he won’t be able to see you

“ comon , daddy hates waiting princess, he’s going to punish you when he finds you “ shut up - shut up - shut up

Then I hear it—the sound of his steps, each one drawing him nearer and nearer

“ he’s not coming you mean nothing to him you know? Why would the heir of the most powerful house care about someone insignificant, someone so worthless like you “

“ liar “ I screamed and then it was red all over again all I saw was red

I I brandished my wand and shouted, "Incendio!" The flames engulfed the house swiftly, consuming every inch of it in a fiery embrace.

"Stupid bitch," I muttered under my breath, knowing he couldn't use a spell on me directly. If he wanted my death to appear normal, he couldn't risk casting any spells on me. That's why he had put a spell on the house, making it impossible for me to utter the spell that could have been able to kill him

"Alohomora" he yelled, and all the doors unlocked. I sprinted towards the kitchen door, fleeing the inferno, blood from my nose and lips staining my trembling hands.

Glancing back, I saw no sign of him before finally escaping. However, just as I thought I was in the clear, a heavy pain and the choking sensation of my own blood overcame me. Falling to my knees, I noticed a knife protruding from my back, its blade emerging on the other side.

In agony, I screamed as I pulled the knife even deeper. "Thank you, princess," he uttered, kissing my forehead. "I'll tell them you died bravely, and I promise to take care of your inheritance."

He got up, and the cruel realization hit me that the last thing I might see before death was his sinister face. Collapsing to the ground, I screamed for the last time, my voice giving up. I felt the onset of death, a gradual release of my grip on my soul.

In those final moments, I thought of my friends, the things left unsaid, but most of all, I thought of Mattheo – my sweet Mattheo, the only love I had ever known. I wished to see his face one last time, contemplating all the things we never got the chance to do.

Suddenly, I felt hands on me, perhaps imagined, as he softly wiped away tears and blood from my face.

"I once said I'd love you until my last breath, didn't I?" I mustered a weak smile, extending my shaking hand to hold his on my face.

"You're not going to die," he insisted, and I prayed to see him clearly one more time.

"You're not going to die, love. I won't allow it. Keep those beautiful eyes on me, okay?"

I struggled to keep my eyes open, but darkness descended rapidly, making each breath a challenging task.

“ I’m so sorry “ kissing my forehead , my hands, and I never wanted to be alive as much as I do right now

"I'm going to fix it, love. I'm going to fix everything, I promise."

Clutching onto the sound of his voice, I felt everything fade into darkness.

Tag list :

@hereticdance

#mattheoxreader #mattheo riddle masterlist #mattheo riddle imagine #mattheo smut #mattheo riddle x reader #mattheo riddle smut #mattheo riddle

[6-and-7]

My Fearsonas Day 15: Flesh

Honestly, what wouldn't I do as a Flesh avatar? I can take myself apart and put myself back together again, but better, stronger. I can provide free gender-affirming surgery for anyone who wants it. I can have horns and extra arms because, frankly, I deserve them. I can give people the bodies they want, whether that be in a trans way, a furry way, or whatever else their hearts desire! Our bodies are so weak, so fragile, the grotesque weight of meat in which our minds and bodies are held captive. We deserve the right to customize, at the very least. We deserve to match the beauty and horror and wonder of our inner selves. Come into my studio. Let me make art of you, with my ink and needles and knives, my hands and hooves and fins and paws, eyes and tongues and gills and wings. Whatever you want. You have only to ask.

#art #my art #the magnus archives #tma #the flesh #self portrait #blood

[mdccanon]

Decay Belonged to Izuku

Here is my two cents.

All for One being Hisashi Midoriya would not be enough to break Izuku nor Tenko. Tenko doesn't feel like he was replaced, like how Touya feels. He feels used. Like a puppet. Izuku has more father figures than he knows what to do with. I like Dad for One, don't get me wrong.

But it's not powerful enough.

The only thing that would hit every box of everything the story has been about is if All for One and Dr. Garaki gave Tenko Izuku's original quirk. If Izuku was meant to decay.

"Face it, Deku, you'll never have a quirk stronger than mine."

"Even you could become a hero."

"Perfect quirk for a villain. Even I started to believe it."

"These things aren't gifts, they are curses."

"I can take and give quirks, but I can't just throw them away!"

The absolute worse thing to Horikoshi isn't merely good or bad things. If it was, All Might would be dead. But he's alive because the worst thing in the world is for him to watch his legacy burn and be helpless. If it was, Endeavor would be in jail. But he's free, and expected to re-explain and re-affirm to every citizen and journalist who asks him that this is all his fault. The absolute worse things to Horikoshi are the bittersweet things you are expected to be grateful for, even as they eat away at your will to live. The worst things are the awful truths you must endure. Congrats Hawks, your childhood hero is worse than your parents. Congrats Overhaul, you accidentally put your father into a permanent coma....

So wouldn't the worse thing Izuku could experience from "Hisashi Midoriya" be him expecting gratitude for protecting Inko from the ticking time-bomb that is Decay? Wouldn't the worse thing be the guilt Izuku would have for everything Tenko had gone through? Not simply because "I know the guy that did it to you."

But "he did it to you to spare me."

Someone is going to explain to me why Inko was doing the Upset Woman pose BEFORE Izuku was declared quirkless. And then the next thing is her bland "shocked" performance with the nonsensical test results and exposition provided by All for One's personal doctor... then she's crying and apologizing to Izuku...

#dad for one #Dad for all #tomura shigaraki #tenko shimura #shigadeku #Izuku Midoriya #all for one is hisashi #mha 374 #MHA 375 #Inko is a traitor #villain inko #all for inko #yoichi shigaraki #Decay quirk

[trans-axolotl]

hey! i just had a friend confide in me that they think they have bpd, and I was wondering if you know of any good resources for me (or for them) about living with bpd and how to support someone with it. a lot of sources online jump straight to demonization but i know that there has to be stuff out there that comes from the perspective of people actually living with bpd

Hey anon!

BPD is such a stigmatized diagnosis-even within neurodivergent communities, I find a lot of people who say really discriminatory and harmful things about BPD. I'm someone who has been diagnosed with BPD in the past so I can resonate with trying to navigate ND spaces with that diagnosis, even though that is a diagnosis I do not currently claim. I have complicated feelings about BPD as a diagnosis in terms of medicalization and the diagnostic history, and I am really critical of psychiatric interpretations of BPD and have some strong feelings about different explanatory models based in more affirming understandings of trauma. But for people for whom the label does provide community, validation, and support, we deserve affirming resources that authentically represent our experiences!

I've asked around in my community spaces and made a list of reccomended resources. I have not personally read every single one of these, so please take what works and leave the rest!

Basic info about BPD: still very attached to medical model, provides some links to learn about how BPD might be better understood as CPSTD, provides quotes from people with lived experience.

Stories + Lived experience: really great collection of stories and perspectives on BPD!

Lived Experience Article: personal story of recovery

Panel for BPD survival strategies during covid

Positives of BPD: Article 1, Article 2

Fighting stigma from clinicans

Books:

 Stronger than BPD by Debbie Corso

 Loving Someone with BPD by Shari Manning

Beyond Borderline: True Stories of Recovery

Workbooks:

DBT skills workbook

DBT for Neurodivergence Workbook

Anyone else with relevant lived experience, please feel free to add on resources that you like!

#asks #antipsych #bpd #bpd resources #mental health #mad pride #neurodivergent

[ezekiel-krishna]

💫 Zodiac Signs Love Observations 💫

Aries

Aries' main love language is word of affirmation.

They also love the compete in small things with their partner in a healthy manner, to them it keeps the relationship alive and makes both parties avoid boredom.

LOVES to give cute nicknames to others.

Leo

Leo can love with all their heart but they expect the same back, they aren't afraid to leave if you hurt or betray them.

They like intelligence, they are very attracted to it. They do not judge you based on what others say about you, but what they actually see from you.

Very good at cuddling actually, type to play with your hair also.

Sagittarius

Sagittarius is very picky if it comes to choosing their romantic partner, they only date people who they value a lot.

Loves to make people smile, they feel like it brings people closer to one another.

Is the type to stay in both good and bad, they are very good in staying positive even in situations people might think it is impossible to be positive in.

Taurus

Absolutely prefers long relationships over short ones, they want someone they can build a future with.

They associate lyrics with the person that they are in love with.

They can act confident but would rather prefer a partner they can rely on whenever it is needed.

Virgo

I love to be in comfortable silence with their partner.

Always gets shocked if a small detail about them is remembered, it will make their day.

Knows everything about their partner wether it was said or not.

Capricorn

Will very often stare at their love, shutting down everything around themselves, just getting lost in the moment.

Is good in lying, expect if it comes to their partner. They just can't help but be honest, even if the truth won't always benefit them.

Their standards are very high, if they have a partner the person will for sure meet each one.

Libra

Loves freedom! They need their partners trust to be able to give the same energy back. They tend to be a bit of overthinker.

Their love is way stronger than it appears to be.

Is very generous, never selfish towards people they love.

Gemini

They like to flirt, but once they are serious about someone they only have eyes for that person only.

Will remain calm when their partner is stressed, it often gives them the ability to provide comfort.

Their love is unique because they pay attention to their partners wants and desires.

Aquarius

They are the MOST attentive and thoughtful out of all the signs.

Can always strike up an interesting conversation about anything with the right person.

Sees you as a whole, not just their partner.

Cancer

They are very willing to take risks in love. They would do anything to be next to the person they love.

They will daydream about their love a lot but still be shy to reach out to them.

They value emotional security above much else in relationships, without it they are often afraid to trust.

Scorpio

They are really soft on the inside, they just need the right person besides them.

Loves to see their partner be caring! Not towards them only but to people around them in general.

They often hide their emotions, so they are best match with someone that picks up on little things.

Pisces

Prefers helping out their partner with anything they can, they want to show they care whenever possible.

Is very willing to always listen to their partner, even if a conversation might last hours.

Super funny, prefers their partner also being their best friend.

~ Please Reblog If you enjoy reading my Observations ✅

For Consultations ,Don't Hesitate to Message Me ✅

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My Tumblr Review Post ✅

#astro community #astrology #vedic astrology #astro observations #astro notes #astroworld #astroblr #advertising #tarot reading #astroloji

[waddledoodledee]

Day Seven: Love Language

Decided to write some ficlets for this one! Hope you enjoy :3

Words of Affirmation

Shadede watched fondly as Meta sparred with his crew. It always amazed him that he could never find flaws in Meta’s form- the knight seemed to be a master, well-trained and easily the best swordsman the king had ever seen. He continued to watch, Meta currently sparring with Trident Knight. The two patiently danced around each other, looking for the perfect opportunities to strike.

“You’re doing great, Meta!” Shadede called out. Meta’s wings morphed from his cape, fluttering- a surefire way to tell he appreciated the praise, even if his mask hid his blush. Unfortunately, the distraction provided the perfect opportunity for Trident to disarm their opponent, leaving Meta to surrender the match.

Meta retrieved Galaxia from where she had landed and stepped over to join Shadede, mumbling. “Mi amor…”

Shadede chuckled. “Sorry, Meta. I didn’t mean to cost you the match.” He gently brushed down a patch of messed-up fur with his hand. “If it’s any consolation, you did great. Easily one of your best matches lately.”

“You really think so?” Meta asked, poofing up a bit before attempting to smooth his fur again.

“Of course,” Shadede said. He smiled. “Here, let me see your face.”

Meta removed his mask and looked up at Shadede. His face was painted with sparkly purple blush, and he had figurative hearts in his eyes as he looked up at his partner. Shadede leaned down and pressed a kiss to his forehead.

“You’re so handsome,” he said. Meta’s blush grew stronger, eliciting a snort from Shadede.

“You are… handsome as well…” Meta stuttered out, putting his mask back on. 

Shadede continued to brush Meta’s fur, humming. “I love you so much, Meta.”

Meta leaned against him with a smile under his mask. “I love you too, mi amor.”

Physical Touch

Despite how stoic Meta and Shadede seemed on the outside, it didn’t take long for the two of them to realize they were both extremely touchy people.

It started subtly at first- lingering a little too long on the pats Shadede gave on Meta’s head and back, Meta brushing Shadede with his wings during a spar, Shadede taking Meta’s hand as the two of them read in the library. It wasn’t until the two of them decided to start sleeping together that they each realized just how touch-starved the other was.

The brief hugs they shared before getting in bed had evolved to Meta lying on top of Shadede, sleepily kneading biscuits in the heavy blanket. Purring filled the room as he got comfortable.

“Meta?” Shadede said.

“Yes, mi amor?” Meta groggily responded.

“Come under the blanket, I want to hold you.”

Meta nodded and got up, settling back down under the blanket. In only a few seconds, Shadede had wrapped his arms around the knight. Meta closed his eyes and breathed in, relaxing with a sigh in his partner’s arms. “I agree, this is much nicer.”

Shadede smiled and pressed a sleepy kiss to the top of Meta’s head. “Good night, qíngrén.”Meta nuzzled Shadede’s chest. “Goodnight, mi amor.” And with that, the two of them drifted to sleep, smiles still present on their faces.

Acts of Service

Shadede stood at the kitchen sink, washing the bowl of peaches and apples he had picked earlier that day. As he worked, he picked out the fruits bearing bruises and holes. He wanted this to be as perfect as possible.

Once the fruits were washed, he dried them off and got to work, pulling out a knife and making quick work of the peaches’ peels. Fruit after fruit, a small pile of peach cubes rose on the plate next to him. The apples took more work. Coring and slicing was quick enough, but Shadede wanted to make it special. With a little extra knife work, Shadede was able to cut away part of the peel, creating an illusion of bunny ears on the slices. He smiled to himself, hoping Meta would appreciate the gesture. After washing juice from his hands, he grabbed a handful of blueberries and put them on the plate.

He went up to the study with the plate of fruit, quietly opening the door. Meta sat at the desk, tiredly filling paperwork. Shadede walked over and placed the fruit in front of Meta with a hum. “How’s the work going?”

Meta sighed. “Tedious.” He eyed the plate of fruit, before pulling up his mask and taking a few blueberries. “Did you have this already prepared?”

“Nope. Just put it together now,” Shadede said. “Thought you might need a pick-me-up, especially since you stubbornly refuse to get up until you’re done.” The last part was said teasingly, with a hint of exasperation.

“My apologies, I didn’t realize just how much work I had,” Meta responded. He took an apple slice, smiling at the bunny ears cut into the peel. “How long did this take you?”

“About forty minutes. I cut a few extras for Skirby as well.”

Meta looked up fondly at his partner. “It’s delicious, thank you.” He gestured for Shadede to lean down. Upon complying, Shadede was gifted a kiss from the grateful knight.

Shadede pulled away, smiling. “You taste like blueberries.” 

Meta laughed. “Well, I’d certainly hope so. If I tasted like strawberries, there might be something wrong with the fruit you gave me.”

“I suppose so.” Shadede leaned down again to kiss Meta on the top of his head. “I’ll leave you to finish your work, okay?”

“Sounds good, mi amor. I’ll see you at dinner.”

Shadede smiled and left, quietly closing the door behind him. Meta took another apple slice, smiling as he thought about his partner. The fruit was sweet, just like Shadede. Munching on the fruit, Meta started getting back to work.

#kirby #meta knight #shadow dedede #metadede #waddle fics #mtddweek2023

[shiningstardan]

• N E J I x H I N A T A • R A T E D E • 1 0 K W •

S U M M A R Y:

'Talk to her!' Lee's words still rang in his mind, and he wondered if he actually should. Shame and guilt have the tendency to consume one's soul. How far can a gesture or a series of them compensate for the sins of the past? And will the sufferer be able to accept the atonement given or will they succumb to the guilt and heaviness of those emotions? Could Neji and Hinata relink a relationship that is plagued by the ghost of the past? Prompt 1: Dry Humping

✦ A O 3 - F F . N E T ✦

Peculiar Considerations For Atonement

Part 3: Moderato

Festival day! 8:45 pm

“I’m sorry. If I hadn’t slipped up” Neji apologized “Sorry”. She was standing exactly where she had for what felt like 5 minutes, finishing the drink he had brought her, trying to calm the thirst, the retching and the bile, now more present at the pit of her stomach.

She took a deep breath. It was better for them to sit down at that moment.

“I’m feeling dizzy, can we-” Neji extended his free hand, wanting to provide stability for her, but unsure on how to approach her. Her hand attached to his as if a magnet connected them; and he felt a jolt, making his heart pound harder. This wasn’t the moment to get distracted, though. He hadn’t noticed since the warm light of the lamps had really limited his vision, and the darkness made it even more difficult to see, but she had been getting paler and paler. Her cheeks were colorless, and her eyes had gotten more and more watery. She had not moved as he expected her to, she was paralyzed. 

The sake bottle he was holding with the other hand made the situation even more difficult to maneuver. Frustrated, he decided to just leave it on the floor. He first needed to make sure that Hinata would not collapse. With the bottle now out of the way, he closed the distance between them. With his left hand still holding hers, he positioned himself right beside her, his ribs tightly pressed against hers, using his right arm to hug her from the waist. Signaling her to support her weight against him, her head dropping slightly down, somewhat aware of the firmness of his chest against her shoulder.

“Thank you” was the only thing that she could mutter.

“Slowly, please. One step at a time” She could faintly hear him, feeling her body getting worse every second. Sai had called Neji her servant, no one had ever said or implied that Neji was her servant, ever. She could feel the heaving getting stronger and stronger. Her eyes were getting more and more watery by the minute. She felt as if she was going to vomit at any second.

‘she is your master and you are her ser- ’

Her knees finally weakened and her weight pulled Neji down with her, making them both kneel and fall on their hands. 

Neji could feel how she was crumbling down by the minute, the panic inside him made his blood course at a thousand miles per second, he had hoped that they would make it to the bench, so he could assist her. But, her heavings were getting stronger and stronger by the second.

“Neji” 

Heave.  

“you” 

Heave.

He could see her back rising up and down. Her breath was short and labored. He needed to act, and he needed to act now! She tried raising her head one more time, but she could feel how her elbows were losing strength as well, which made her head drop down immediately.

“Shhh, let me help you please”. His right arm went behind her back and across her chest, his palm firmly opened over her sternum. “Hinata, please recline against me”. He strongly pushed her back, setting her against his chest.

“You aren’t”, she continued heaving. Her head slowly went from right to left, trying to deny the affirmation that repeated in her head over and over again. Her breath quickly going in and out. He wasn’t. Pant. He wasn’t . Pant. Tears streamed down her cheeks. She needed air, but her throat was closed. The heaves burned her throat and the oxygen was not filling her lungs.

Byakugan . Neji activated the family blood limit, quickly checking her chakra flow and trying to assess how to handle its turbulence; her system was going into overdrive. He would have to try to do something he never had, he needed to slow them down, not close them, but slow them. He breathed deeply trying to fluctuate the chakra emanating from his digits at a steady pace and precision. He would need a fraction of it of the usual flow he used, that was the tricky part, he had never tried something like this before. He could do more harm than good if he miscalculated.

Heave.

He only had a couple of seconds, without delay he pushed his left fingers against her abdomen. Praying that the improvised idea would actually help her. “Please breathe Hinata. Please.” Her breathing was still labored but his Byakugan allowed him to see that the speed of her chakra flow had slowed. He needed to sit her on the bench. He knew getting up would be difficult, her weight threw his center of gravity off, and the last thing he needed was to fall down against the grass. 

His legs screamed while pushing his ankles to the limit, but the adrenaline allowed him to push upwards. He didn’t want to shuffle her too much by making unnecessary movements, so he tried to keep it to a minimum by holding her as tightly as he could against him, her breathing was still resounding in his ears. The movement allowed him to push one of his legs forward, planting a foot squarely against the ground.

“I’ll push us up” the handbag    felt heavy on her hand, but she had used her last remnants of energy to clutch her fingers around the handle. Her tears had dried, she had promised herself that today was a special day, that she would enjoy it. She could feel her head resting on Neji’s shoulder but her consciousness was but a sliver. Her mind vanished for a moment.

‘she is your master and you are her ser- ’

Gasp .

The oxygen was finally filling her lungs, waking up her muscles and clearing her mind for a second. A spike of adrenaline activated from within, allowing her to walk the remaining distance.

“Slowly Hinata. You need to rest, so let’s try to make it to the bench” She nodded, her knees were regaining their strength, now that she could breathe better. His arm went from her shoulder to the center of her abdomen, balancing her core, softly providing the pressure needed for her to be pushed against him, countering their weight. “Ok, please turn around and we will sit”. She followed her instructions, her breathing had started to regulate.

“Wa - ter - ple -”

“Right away”  He picked up the sake bottle and laid it next to her on the bench. He signed the appropriate gestures and created a shadow clone that could go for the drink she desperately needed.

“How are you feeling? I’m not sure of what I did, so we may need a medic” He could see the paths her tears had left on its way down. He extended his hands and tenderly wiped them. His thumbs tenderly went over her cheeks and then he held her face tenderly. Her eyes were halfway opened trying to focus on him. Her face fell slightly sideways, trying to feel the warmth from his fingers, cradling her.

𓄹 ⊹   ᳝ ࣪⠀.  ִ  ་  ּ 𓄹 ⊹   ᳝ ࣪⠀.  ִ  ་  ּ 𓄹 ⊹   ᳝ ࣪⠀.  ִ  ་  ּ

“Do you think they will be alright?” Asked Tenten, worried about how agitated Hinata had looked, she saw how uncomfortable Neji had looked while hearing Sai’s statement.

“I hope so,” she sighed. “Sai! How could you say that?”

“I was just stating the obvious” He shrugged “He, as far as I know, should not be allowed to address her in such a casual manner, is unbecoming of his position”

“I swear I’m gonna kill you” Tenten was furious, she still felt wary about the ex-root ninja. 

“That would be a very difficult task to accomplish” he answered in a monotone. “In the root, he would have had his tongue cut if he had addressed a superior in an unbecoming manner”

“Sai, you have to understand that as Hinata said, she is not her superior” Sakura pinched the bridge of her nose. 

“But isn’t she from the main family?” 

“Sai, you are not listening to me,” Sakura said exasperated, massaging her temples. “She is clan head. She is the person who now decides what is correct and what is not.” She was feeling exhausted from the conversation. “Yes, Hyuga history may be tangled in a complicated way, and maybe none of us can fully understand how they deal with things internally, but if she says that the divisions are not important, that is the new protocol. He doesn’t need to address her as a superior, and that is the only thing that matters.”

“I still don’t understand why you all got so flustered about what I said. He doesn’t even show his forehead since he is branded” Sai still didn’t get what they were all so worked up about.

Naruto could only see how they all talked about the situation, not knowing what to say.

“Ok, ok. How would you feel if I told you that you are a servant” She tried to pull the empathic side he had been working on, in vain.

“I’ve always been a at the service of the village, in some way, I think I could be considered a servant”

“Argh! I can hear more of this anymore I need to get out of here” Tenten needed a bit of fresh air before letting her murderous instinct take over her. “I’ll try to clear my head, Lee?”

“I’ll go with you Ten” He knew she would get fired up quickly if she didn’t walk away, and for everyone's well being, it was better to avoid that. 

“Ok. What if I told you your art is ugly” Sakura tried to reason with him one last time.

“Art is subjective, so it would be valid for you to think that” She saw the change in his demeanor, despite his monotonous voice, a part of him seemed to have finally gotten the message. 

“I know you are trying to understand how to deal with emotions again. But you can’t just call a person a servant… It feels degrading. And, for the Hyugas, that word carries a heavy weight. Please don’t use those words with them again. If you don’t know who they are and their history, just limit yourself to being polite.” Sakura exhaled. “Naruto, why don’t you take Sai and show him around? Maybe you guys can join Ino and the others”  

𓄹 ⊹   ᳝ ࣪⠀.  ִ  ་  ּ 𓄹 ⊹   ᳝ ࣪⠀.  ִ  ་  ּ 𓄹 ⊹   ᳝ ࣪⠀.  ִ  ་  ּ

“Why can’t we have a normal evening just for once?” Ino complained.

“Tell me about that! I’m still trying to process the fact that Hinata actually asked Naruto out” Kiba complained. 

“I never imagined she would actually dare. I don’t remember you saying anything about it” Shikamaru interjected. Ino wasn’t the kind of person to be spilling secrets from others, but somehow he always ended up knowing about other’s businesses since she always said things around him.

“Actually no” her eyes opened wide, realizing that Hinata had never mentioned anything about going out with Naruto. “She never mentioned anything to us about that date”

“Oh god. He’s so screwed,” Shikamaru concluded.

“Do you think he might want to invite her out?” Asked Shino, catching everyone’s attention.

“Knowing how he is… He certainly will” Finished Kiba.

𓄹 ⊹   ᳝ ࣪⠀.  ִ  ་  ּ 𓄹 ⊹   ᳝ ࣪⠀.  ִ  ་  ּ 𓄹 ⊹   ᳝ ࣪⠀.  ִ  ་  ּ

“I swear I could kill him, you know?” Tenten was furious, she couldn’t believe that on her first outing with the guys in months everything had gotten to this point. They were supposed to enjoy their day. “This is so messed up. Do you think Neji will be able to handle it?”

“You know he is strong. He will. Hinata-chan, on the other hand, didn't look well” Tenten observed him carefully, her eyes piercing him. She wanted to ask about the gifts but knew that she couldn’t say anything before her friends did, despite her curiosity.

“All this commotion has left me feeling weird. Can we go for drinks or something?”

“Yes, let’s go. The food stands are this way. They have some chicken bites that you may like, and sweet tea.”

“Guys? Can I join you?” Sakura appeared just behind them, looking ten times more drained compared to when they had seen her last, just some minutes ago. Being the emotional backbone of team 7 was not an easy task. Sakura sometimes was too empathic and that had always been core to her relationships. Ino and Tenten had always been there to support her when the whole debacle with Sasuke had happened. So she had gotten sadly familiar with the tiredness her eyes were reflecting.

“Of course Sakura-san! Ten and I were planning on getting some food. Is there anything you want?” 

“I know just what you need now. Let’s get you some taiyakis!” Tenten pulled her closer, tangling their arms together. Trying to make her feel a little better. “And, in the meantime, I’ll tell you about this spa I visited with Temari”

𓄹 ⊹   ᳝ ࣪⠀.  ִ  ་  ּ 𓄹 ⊹   ᳝ ࣪⠀.  ִ  ་  ּ 𓄹 ⊹   ᳝ ࣪⠀.  ִ  ་  ּ

“Don’t think too hard man. They may look like pretty serious people but Neji and Hinata are actually cool” Naruto tried to compensate.

“Mmm. This is so complicated for me” Sai lamented.

“Why don’t you tell me more about that article in the ‘Kunoichi’ magazine?”

“Well…it mentioned that girls some time like to be difficult and that you have to be insistent in your approach, that way they see your interest and can elevate your chances of going out with her”

“Hinata is pretty amazing. I remembered we went to Ichiraku and heard all the stories I had about the missions I had been going to. I was telling her about that time we tried to seal the three tail beast and had backup from the anbu” Sai was still thinking about the interactions, trying to understand the different dynamics.

“Did she tell you about her missions?” He asked thoughtfully.

“I don’t remember her saying that much… I just remember that she asked my opinion about the clan”

“Do you consider her to be an attentive kind of person?”

“I guess” he shrugged, “she once offered me a salve during the chunin exams, but I don’t remember what I did with it to be honest”.

𓄹 ⊹   ᳝ ࣪⠀.  ִ  ་  ּ 𓄹 ⊹   ᳝ ࣪⠀.  ִ  ་  ּ 𓄹 ⊹   ᳝ ࣪⠀.  ִ  ་  ּ

“This is so delicious. Thanks Tenten, I really needed this” Sakura eagerly bit her fish shaped waffle snack.

“Ladies” Lee’s singing voice made them both turn around. “One for you, and one for you” he extended sweet tea drinks to them both. “I hope you like the tapioca” 

“Thanks Lee” said Tenten.

“Thank you” Sakura said a little more shyly.

“Neji?” Lee asked out loud “I think he is coming this way” Both Sakura and Tenten turned quickly in his direction. 

He didn’t seem to have noticed where they were. His eyes were unfocused but somehow he walked straight into the food court. 

“NEJI!” Tenten tried to catch his attention “He doesn’t look okay” They all stood up with the intention of checking up on him. But he had gotten in and out in a heartbeat.

“Should we check on them?” Sakura asked worriedly.

“I think we should give them some privacy, Sakura-san, our presence would just make things worse” Her medical instincts were telling her to not listen to Lee and to run behind him. She must have looked as if she were going to do that because Tenten was firmly holding her by the elbow.

“Lee is right, Sakura. Trust us, we would be more of a nuisance in this moment. If they needed us, really needed us, Neji will let us know. But, when it comes to clan matters, giving them space it's the best we can do for them”

𓄹 ⊹   ᳝ ࣪⠀.  ִ  ་  ּ 𓄹 ⊹   ᳝ ࣪⠀.  ִ  ་  ּ 𓄹 ⊹   ᳝ ࣪⠀.  ִ  ་  ּ

“Why would you want to go out with her again?” Sai asked genuinely curious, as Naruto had never been invested in another person with this much insistence since Sasuke.

“Well, she is the only girl I have seen who can eat a whole bowl of ramen. Sakura only goes with me after missions and only eats half of it. Where’s the fun in that?”

“So, you want someone to eat ramen with?”

“Maaan, ramen is so good! You should try today’s special recipe”

𓄹 ⊹   ᳝ ࣪⠀.  ִ  ་  ּ 𓄹 ⊹   ᳝ ࣪⠀.  ִ  ་  ּ 𓄹 ⊹   ᳝ ࣪⠀.  ִ  ་  ּ

His clone had come back with sweet tea, water and some food.

Neji broke their contact for a second. He took the bottle of water, unscrewing the cap.

“Please open your mouth” Her lips went slightly ajar, and he helped her by pouring the refreshing liquid in small portions. “Drink”. She followed his instructions the best way possible.

“Thanks” she said after drinking some water. He took in how she was reacting.

She looked at him, promising herself that she wouldn’t cry.

“You are not my servant” she whispered hoarsely.

“Shhh. It’s ok Hinata, don’t pay attention to what he said. He doesn’t know us” She lowered her eyes for a moment, knowing it was not true. Sai was strange, and she hadn’t really interacted with him that much, so there was no real way for her to judge him. But Sai was not a liar, and his comments most of the time were a reflection of what people thought. Something in him allowed him to always capture the zeitgeist.

“You are not my servant,” she repeated, looking straight into his eyes. He assessed the weight behind her words, trying to understand what she needed at that moment.

“I am not.” He didn’t dare to break eye contact. “I am not your servant.”

This seemed to finally relieve the tension she had been feeling, her shoulders slowly dropped down, allowing herself to finally recline against the bench. She was exhausted. 

She felt him sitting next to him, the faint smell of wood filling her nose. A smell that was distinctly his. She found it very comforting, with every deep breath she took, she inhaled it more.  Still trying to regain her strength.

“Neji” she called him. “Thank you” she opened her eyes slightly, still reclined on the bench. He was sitting upright, his back straight, always maintaining his composure and elegance. “I’m feeling better”

“Do you want anything? I have some Kaarage and ice tea”

“I just need some minutes, can you pass me the water again?” He unscrew the bottle one more time and extended it to her.

“Thanks” she gulped down some more. Her stomach felt calmer now, and the dizziness seemed to have finally receded. She opened her eyes again, and saw him looking intendedly towards her. She had not expected to see him like that, so entranced, so transfixed, so focused. Something within her buzzed. His hair was down, handsomely framing his face. Her eyes traveled upwards, looking for his mark, covered behind a black headband, feeling the urge to pull it off, hoping to see his skin unbranded. Neji never showed his forehead. 

He was not her servant, but that didn’t erase the fact of what the real function of the mark was.

She didn’t know how he would react if she dared pulling the band off. Really badly, was the most probable answer.

Then, her eyes traveled down to his lips. Something instinctual ringing in her head, making her diverted her eyes quickly. That was the second time she had needed to break eye contact with him that day. Her heart was beating hard, but unlike her conversation with Naruto, it made her feel calm. There was a soft buzzing that purred on the inside, calming her; and not an estrenos thunder that erupted the level of destruction she had felt before.

He pressed the back of his hand against her forehead, checking if she had any fever, he also grazed her cheek and the side of her neck.

“Your pulse seems a little high but, other than that you are looking better” 

He sighed.

She moved forward, her arms wrapping around his shoulders, hugging him tightly. Her face nestled next to him. He hadn’t expected her to react like that.

“Thank you for always being there for me Neji” He felt her arms wrapping more tightly around him, and then she kissed his cheek.

He opened his eyes wide.

She gradually pulled back from the embrace. He had never had her this close, and he wanted the embrace to last longer, to bask in her warmth and gentleness.

“I think I am ready for some food” Her comments woke him up from the stupor. “Do you mind if we eat?”

“Am, yeah - of course - I brought this” He said, extending the fried chicken pieces. “But, if you want. I can go and get you something different”

“No, it’s ok. This is delicious. Can I have some tea? I think I need something sweet now. ’m tired of just drinking water”

“Sure”

“What happened? Was it something you ate when you went with the girls? You looked ok when I left with Lee” She dropped her head lightly, not wanting to address the situation. “Your chakra system was going crazy. I think that we should get Sakura to check you up”

“Mmm, no, no, no, please. I didn’t eat anything out of the ordinary. And, I think I’m ok now, I don’t want to inconvenience Sakura, she deserves to enjoy the festival.”

“So do you” his brows furrowed. She took a moment before continuing.

“Sorry Neji” her eyes dropped down “I am keeping you here, when you should be with your team, you three haven't been able to spend time together.. You deserve to enjoy the festival as well”

“Don’t do that” He said more sternly “Don’t apologize” if she wanted them to be friends he would not allow her to apologize for things that she couldn’t control. “Besides, I prefer to enjoy the Karaage in good company” He said trying to lighten the mood. Offering her a piece of chicken. She smiled, grabbing one with the toothpick, biting it, feeling how the juices of the chicken bites went over her taste buds. Soy and sake flavors, combined in synchrony; it even had a spike and a salty edge that she found delicious.

“Hmmm” she moaned and Neji felt an electric jolt going down his legs. “This is so delicious. I should do them at some point”

“Maybe we could have them with the sake Akimichi-sama gave us”

“That would be nice”

Food and water had done their wonders, and she looked so much better now, even her demeanor was more animated.

“Alright, would you like to go around and check some stands?” Neji asked.

“Could we check the shooting game again?”

“Of course” He stood up first and extended his hand. He was always so attentive. He always had her in awe. She took his hand and it was warm, she hadn’t noticed how cold her own had gotten in comparison. She hadn’t noticed that the air had been dropping the later it got. A part of her didn’t want to let go.

“Ready” she said, making her hands linger a second longer before he pulled back his.

“Not so fast, can you hold the bottle for a moment?” She cradled it in her arms, afraid of breaking such an expensive gift by accident.

He stood in front of her, swiftly taking off her kanzashi and the headband, holding the accessories with one hand. Her arms held the bottle pulling it closer to her body, anxiously following every one of his movements. His free fingers slithered through her hair, straightening the strands that had gotten out of place amidst her episode. She could feel them, soft as butter, going in and out, brushing her scalp.

“Now you are back to perfection” He set her headband back in place and clipped the flower accessory over her ear. “You really do look beautiful tonight” She raised her head, her eyes glazing bright. “Let’s go, we have some shooting to do” He concluded, taking the bottle from her. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pushing her forward.

By god, how hadn’t she noticed? There was no more denying it, not to herself. She had to accept it. She liked Neji. She really, really liked him.

･˳ . ⋆   .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆   .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆   .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆   .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆   .˳⁺⁎˚

Festival day! - 9:05 pm

“Guys! Ready for round 2?” Asked a man, looking in their direction.

“We are, can you please give us 2?” replied Neji.

“2?” I thought you would win something for the lady”

“I don’t think the lady would need me in order to win something, Mr Okada” He cheekily replied, leaving the required money for the game on the counter. He gave her the rifle. “Ready?” She nodded “If you win, I pay for the next game. If you win, you pay. Deal?” She smiled shyly.

“Ready?” signaled Mr Okada. “So, you have to pull the lever, insert the cork, push it hard and you get whatever prize you shoot down”

“Thank you Okada-san” Hinata took it with both hands and tried aligning her eyesight to the barrel. She breathed deeply, and then pushed the trigger back.

Clink

She lowered the rifle trying to see if she had taken something down. But it had been Neji’s cork which had taken down a keychain.

“Better luck next time Hinata. Here, we have 3 shots each” He said passing her the next cork.

She breathed deeply once again, trying to relax her muscles. She really wanted to take something down. Her competitive side was eager to show Neji that yes, she could have the prize she wanted if she put her mind to it. She pushed the lever down and pushed the cork into the barrel. Her eyes fixed on the target. She aimed for a pocky box that she could easily buy, but where was the fun in that? The box was on the top shelf, making it difficult to reach, especially since it was behind another prize.

She pushed the trigger.

Thump

Mr Okada bent his back, reaching for the candy box she had taken down.

“Yes!” she did a mini jump, out of excitement.

“Good Job Hyuga-Sama, here is your prize” she could feel her heart pounding. And smiled towards Neji, holding the box in her hand.

“Congratulations, Hinata. I seemed to have failed my shot” He sounded quite apologetic.

“Last shot” She said when he passed her the new cork. “Double or nothing” she dared him. He smirked.

“Deal!”

They both were highly focused on hitting their new targets, making 2 children toys fall down.

“Ah, really nice!” Said Mr Okada excitedly. “Children love these ones so much, I hope yours enjoy them” both blushed furiously at the man’s comment. Neji tried to keep a straight face when collecting all the things they had inadvertently accumulated. Walking away towards the next stand.

𓄹 ⊹   ᳝ ࣪⠀.  ִ  ་  ּ 𓄹 ⊹   ᳝ ࣪⠀.  ִ  ་  ּ 𓄹 ⊹   ᳝ ࣪⠀.  ִ  ་  ּ

“I’ll be right back guys, I have to wash my hands” Tenten stated, walking away from the table where they had been sitting

“Do you need us to walk you?” Lee asked attentively. 

“No, no. It’s ok.” She said tapping Lee twice over the shoulder.

Sakura saw her friend walking away. They were finishing the snacks that they had bought. She hadn’t really paid attention to Lee’s attire closely. His beautifully embroidered haori in black and white combined really nicely with olive green kimono and forest green hakama pants. It was not a combination that she had seen before. But it was surprisingly muted compared to his usual, more eccentric clothing. Thankfully he had been distracted, not noticing how Sakura had been going over his outfit. They continued eating, noticing by the time that they had ended that Tenten had not come back

“Sakura-chan” she flinched, being caught off guard. “Allow me please” He said, picking up the napkins and the glasses. While Lee threw the things in the trash, she noticed that there was a small piece of paper folded.

If you really want to open your mind to the opportunity, this is your call.

Seize it.

Tn

Oh my god Tenten! You set us up! The realization dawned like thunder. She was not planning on coming back. What was she supposed to do now? Yes, she had been interacting with Tenten, Neji and Lee earlier in the evening but it was different. Don’t panic Sakura, she told herself.  This is not the moment!

“Done! Tenten hasn’t come back, though. Should we check on her?”

“Mmm, maybe she got distracted in one of the stands. We could walk around and check if we see her” She didn’t want Lee to get suspicious, but maybe she could use her absence as an excuse to check the remaining stands and spend some time with him.

“She walked this way, we can check this area, and she can see us when she comes back”  Lee reflected, the game stands started appearing. 

“Did we do the Daruma Otoshi before?”

“No, we didn’t. Would you like to test your youthfulness there?”  

“Absolutely!” She said enthusiastically. Forgetting how nervous she had been feeling just a moment ago.

“Very well!” They walked straight into the vendor. “Hi! May we have one?”

“You guys are full of energy tonight. Here you go!” Lee paid so, both of them could start playing. “You know the drill” the vendor continued while organizing the colorful pieces in a vertical position “The first one to knock them down, looses”

Sakura took the hammer and  hit one of the pieces towards Lee, pushing the piece out but managing not to tumble the other ones.

“Your turn!” there was a sense of smugness and satisfaction within her and Lee could see it as she passed the hammer to him. Igniting his sense of competitiveness, smirking while taking the hammer.

“ M y turn” the pieces had moved slightly to the right, it would be a difficult shot to not make them fall down. He aligned the tool against the pieces and then hit them. 

Clank, clank, clank.

“Oops, bad luck Lee. I won”

“Not so fast. Another set please” Lee told the vendor

𓄹 ⊹   ᳝ ࣪⠀.  ִ  ་  ּ 𓄹 ⊹   ᳝ ࣪⠀.  ִ  ་  ּ 𓄹 ⊹   ᳝ ࣪⠀.  ִ  ་  ּ

“I told you” 

“I didn’t think she would dare,” Tenten confessed.

“Of course she would, Haruno might be scared but she isn’t a quitter. I think she is in denial about the possibilities.”

“What makes you say so?”

“Well, she has been following Lee’s every move. She hasn’t been able to take her eyes off him” 

“Wanna bet?”

“What do you propose?” Ino took a step closer, curious about what her friend was going to say.

“If she kisses him, you pay for the drinks”

“That’s not fair!! I was going to bet on them kissing!” 

“You snooze, you lose Ino” 

𓄹 ⊹   ᳝ ࣪⠀.  ִ  ་  ּ 𓄹 ⊹   ᳝ ࣪⠀.  ִ  ་  ּ 𓄹 ⊹   ᳝ ࣪⠀.  ִ  ་  ּ

“I think a bag might be necessary,” she said, seeing how Neji was holding everything in his hands.

“Maybe Akimichi-sama can give us one”

“Maybe, or maybe we can buy a bag in another stand”

They started walking towards the other stands, looking for a vendor savvy enough to foresee that many would need bags for the festival.

“Neji, my Boy” The clear voice of Mr. Miyazaki got to both of them, catching their attention. “It’s so good to see you both”

“Mr. Miyazaki, how are you doing?” Neji felt the panic rising on his throat when Hinata animatedly walked towards him. And he vehemently shook his head from side to side, hoping the old man would understand not to mention anything about the bag he had bought just some days ago. The shaking movement appeared to have been clear enough for the man since he immediately talked to Hinata about her kimono.

“Hinata-sama, how wonderful to see you tonight. You look utterly radiant.”

“Thank you sir. I knew having your family in charge of my Kimono for tonight had been the best election”

“My pleasure as usual, The Miyazaki family will always be at your service, for every needed occasion” She smiled warmly, the man and his family had dressed Hyuga heads and the main family for generations. The silk embroidery they did and their brocades had a distinct quality, making their garments distinctly recognizable.

“My boy, look at you, carrying all those things, allow me please” He passed Hinata a beautiful tote bag. The bag had been designed as an affordable option that they provided on occasions such as this one. “This one is on me”

“But-” Hinata complained, not wanting to make people feel as if they owed her things because of her new position.

“No but my lady. The Hyugas and the Miyazakis have always been in a good relationship, just take this as a token of a long-lasting business partnership”

“Thank you Mr. Miyazaki,” she bowed as a sign of respect. “Please hold on a second Neji, I will help you bag the things” She opened the bag, taking the bottle first, which was the heaviest. Then the toys, the pocky she had won and lastly, his keychain.

“May I?” She asked, feeling curious about it.

“Yes” Neji extended his hand and she saw that the keychain was a Daruma Doll “If you want it, you can have it” It was nothing, she knew it was nothing, but such a simple thing made her insides quiver. He had been so attentive all day and now that she knew about the presents, she couldn’t feel that maybe it could mean something.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, it’s ok. You can have it” She didn’t need to ask a second time, she took it, opening the clasp and lacing it through the strap of her burgundy bag.

“Thank you”

Mr Miyazaki could only see how entranced each other they looked for a second.

“Perfect, now you can continue enjoying the festival”

“Thank you for the bag Mr Miyazaki” Neji also bowed towards the man.

“Always a pleasure my boy” he winked at him.

That had been close, thankfully Mr. Miyazaki was always very perceptive.

“So…” 

“So?” Hinata asked

“we haven’t discussed our double or nothing”

“Oh, right!” she had totally forgotten about it for a second

“What do you want to do now?”

“Hmmmm, well, I proposed going to the shooting gallery. But you haven’t chosen. So, it’s your turn to decide. What do you want to do?”

“Umm… I hadn’t really thought about it. What if we checked the goldfish? I remember seeing them around this area” He knew that would excite her.

“Yes! But each will only have 30 seconds to get theirs” He laughed. She hadn’t heard him laugh in a long time, and she laughed with him.

“Two please” Hinata told the vendor receiving the flat paddles. “Yours”

“Thanks Hinata. You go first.”

“Oh no, you go first!” Her voice sounded daring, not backing down from the challenge. He could not back down now. He squatted, looking for the optimal position that would allow him to catch the fish when-

“Neji” her voice called him, sounding weary. She looked worried.

“What is it?” He was worried.

“Your hakama… it got dirty. I hadn’t noticed”

“That’s not important, I can get it cleaned” He looked up, smiling, reassuring her that it was not a big deal.

“I’m sorry” He stood up again, not wanting to break eye contact, but she evaded him. 

“Hinata, look at me” He lifted her face up, holding her chin. “Don’t worry about that. The important thing is to enjoy the festival. Remember what you told me on our way here” So she closed her eyes for a second. He was right. She needed to focus on the important matters. She had decided that today she was going to be happy, it was the fireworks festival afterall. And, she also had an important conversation pending.

She opened her eyes, his face was so close to hers, and he was still holding her from her chin. Her heart was pumping fast. He was so close, she hadn’t really expected to see his face this close. 

When she opened her eyes, he saw them going from normal to glossy as fast as a heartbeat. If he just bent down he could just capture her lips. Tentation so big he dropped his hand in an instant, letting go of her face. 

“You are right, sorry” She felt as if she had been abruptly awakened. “It’s just that, this day was supposed to be a special one and I fear I have ruined it”

”I don’t think you have ruined it. If anything, I would blame other people for making you have a hard time” 

“I’ll pay for the cleaning”

“Please, Hinata, that’s not necessary. Let’s just get our goldfish, ok?” He used his arm to push her towards the small pool. “Why don’t you start?” He proposed.

“No, no. It’s ok. I want you to try first”

“Ok, I’ll go first” Neji squated once again and for thirty seconds tried in vain to get the goldfish he had been eagerly chasing. “Not my brightest hour, I must admit. I guess it’s your turn now” 

When she squatted, she noticed that her Kimono had gotten dirty as well. She tried pushing the events of the evening to the back of her mind. She pulled her sleeve backwards, not wanting to get her kimono wet. Paddle ready in hand, wanting to catch at least one of the fish before the timer had gone back to zero. Sadly, neither of them was able to finish the task that they had set their minds to. 

“Looks like I didn’t have any luck either” she said with a smile, enjoying the time they were spending together.

“Would you guys like to have your fish?” The vendor asked them. “I can put them in bags for you”

“Thank you” replied Hinata “But, I think it’s best to leave the fish for the children. 

“Are you sure my lady?” 

“Umm, yes. Just give double to the next children who come”

“That’s very thoughtful of you. Thank you for playing", the vendor said, bidding them goodbye. 

“So, where do you wanna-”

“Neji! Hinata!” Naruto called them cheerfully, approaching them. Neji inhaled seeing that Sai was a meter behind the blond, maintaining his distance.

“Naruto,” he interjected, not trusting the social skill of either of them. “I think you’ll have to excuse us, Hinata and I are busy right now; so, this is not the best the moment”

“Wait, wait!” He tried to stall them for a second “I want to ask her something” he tensed, a part of him was insecure and fearful about the possibility of her accepting another date with him, despite how terrible the last one had been.

“What can I do for you, Naruto-kun?

“Have you thought about it,  Hina?” Hina? He could feel the back of his head, pounding. He didn’t like the familiarity he was addressing her with.

His arm had moved from surrounding her shoulder to between her shoulder blades, not daring to let go, but not wanting to appear obvious. His instinct screamed to not let her go, while another part of him told himself that he needed to get his emotions under control. No matter how he addressed her she was still the clan head, and he wasn’t supposed to act so familiar around her. Taking another breath before slowly pulling his hand away.

But, he felt it, he felt the way she had tensed when Naruto had called her Hina. She had not liked it, not one bit.

She looked confused, not understanding what she was supposed to think about.

“Naruto-kun?”

“Hina, will you go with me to Ichiraku tomorrow?”

“Oh, well… I told you Naruto, I - I need to take care of my clan. I need to give them my attention”

“Just two hours, I promise it’ll be quick”

“Naruto” Neji wanted to say something but got quiet when she turned around to look at him, silencing him with her eyes. As much as she appreciated his intervention, this was something she had to deal with. So, she smiled in a manner that reassured him and commanded him, at the same time. She took a step backwards, closing the gap that he himself had widened, looking for his warmth once again. 

“As I said Naruto. My priority right now is my family. We might be able to eat at Ichiraku at some point later. Now, if you’ll excuse us, I have not  been feeling well” She laced her hand around Neji’s waist. “Please, excuse us” Neji’s hand also went around her waist, hugging her tightly against him.

Sai had kept one step back behind Naruto during the whole interaction. Even if it was a little he had started to understand that his words had hurted the Hyuga clan head, when both Hyugas walked next to him. He could see that she had visibly winced, avoiding all eye contact.

𓄹 ⊹   ᳝ ࣪⠀.  ִ  ་  ּ 𓄹 ⊹   ᳝ ࣪⠀.  ִ  ་  ּ 𓄹 ⊹   ᳝ ࣪⠀.  ִ  ་  ּ

“I don’t understand it! She keeps telling me later, but she doesn’t tell me when exactly.

“I think I read that in ‘kunoichi’ magazine as well…”

“Yeah? And what did it say?”

“Well… it said that later, is a polite way to say no”

“No? But she asked me to go out with her first… I thought she might still want to” 

Sai didn’t know what else to say, emotions were just too complicated.

𓄹 ⊹   ᳝ ࣪⠀.  ִ  ་  ּ 𓄹 ⊹   ᳝ ࣪⠀.  ִ  ་  ּ 𓄹 ⊹   ᳝ ࣪⠀.  ִ  ་  ּ

“Are you ok?”

“I will be” her voice sounded dejected, but it didn’t waver. “Neji '' she whispered more assuredly now “look… It’s the shrine. Do you mind if-”

“You don’t have to ask me. I’ll go behind you” He knew she needed this, as much as he needed it as well. She stood still for a second, frozen in place.

“What is it?”

“Do you think we can enter like this?” He sighed, not sure what to say. Checking her from head to toe. “I really want to pray for Hanabi”

“Let me check you once again” The orange light surrounding the shrine was a little dull, hiding the fact that their hakamas were a little dirty, thankfully their tabi socks had not absorbed anything, it was mainly the grass stains on his pants and her skirt. “I think the gods will be ok with us”

They bowed before setting foot into the shrine, making their way towards the water pavilion, each taking a ladle with their right hand, cleaning first the left one, washing according to the protocol. The movements were done in synchrony, before walking towards the main shrine.

“Here” she passed him a 5 yen coin.

“Thank you” After shaking the bell, bowing and clapping twice they were both praying, thanking the gods. Hinata thanked the gods for the last three months, thanking the gods for her friends, for Sakura, Ino and Tenten. She was also thankful for Neji, and all the happiness he had been providing her whether it was directly or indirectly, and thankful as well for his ingenuity, since he had just saved her from spilling her guts out in her first appearance at a public event since becoming Head. Finally, she thanked the gods for taking care of Hanabi and guiding her soul. 

Neji, on the other hand, thanked the gods for Lee, since he had been the one who encouraged him to be brave, for his sensei, who always took care of them and Tenten, she was like their little sister and he was happy that she had been able to use her knowledge, gaining the recognition she deserved. He thanked the gods for Hinata’s slow but steady recovery since she had been in a really bad mental space since her sister’s death; finally, he also thanked for his father’s wisdom who continued to guide him through the years.

They finished their prayer with one final bow.

An ease washed over her after the praying had finished, knowing that she had lifted the weight she had been feeling from earlier.

“Thank you Hanabi-chan” she whispered to herself.

･˳ . ⋆   .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆   .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆   .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆   .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆   .˳⁺⁎˚

Festival day! - 9:30 pm

“I think I'm hungry,” Neji told her, after going back to the festival street.

“I think I’m hungry too” Hinata confessed

“Maybe the others are in the food court”

“I hope that if we meet Naruto, he doesn’t ask me to go to Ichiraku with him. Two invitations are more than enough for one day”

“Wait… two?”

“Yes… He asked me out while you and Lee got us some water” 

“I - I thought you liked him”

She sighed.

“I did... But, even now I find it difficult to believe. My younger self would have probably fainted out of excitement. But I can’t do that now. I have abandoned the clan for almost two years. You guys let me mourn for as long as I needed, and I ended up letting go of my responsibilities. Asking Naruto out and trying to drink myself to oblivion that same night was probably the most reckless thing I have done since Hanabi’s death. I was not in the right frame of mind. Plus, it greatly breaks my heart how people misunderstand and think of us. If I am to go out with someone, that person would need to understand who we are as a clan and our history. A person who really can understand how we could change and improve. And he will never understand us. I think he is too naive and optimistic, he has made that perfectly clear”

“You will not be going out with Naruto then?”

“No” she said dejectedly, trying to process the hopelessness of the situation and allowing herself to let go of the desires her past self had. 

“What if another person asks you out?” She tried understanding the underlying tones in his voice, but he had even it, concealing any readable emotion. 

“I guess it would depend on who asks me out” She made sure to look him directly in the eye before daring herself to command the conversation. “What about you?”

“Me?”

“Well… You’ve been traveling quite a lot lately. I imagine that you come in contact with many people and you talk to them. Should I get ready to establish diplomatic relationships with another clan or country? I would like to get ready in case you want to ask for anyone’s hand” He hadn’t thought about that, she was now in charge of the clan, she was in charge of their future marriages.

“Not yet Hinata-sa- Hinata, sorry” he was getting flustered. “Mayne Tokuma will be asking for your blessing soon, though,” he reflected. “It seems that his relationship with Natsu is going quite strong and steady.”

“Oh, I’ll… I’ll keep that in mind then. So, you are not planning on asking anyone’s hand in this moment”

“No, you don’t have to worry about that yet”

 

･˳ . ⋆   .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆   .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆   .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆   .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆   .˳⁺⁎˚

Festival day! - 10:00 pm

The warm orange light of the lamps gave an intimate environment in some areas, contrasting with the liveliness of the attendants and children that were running around going from one stand to another, engaging with the games, eager to see who could win the biggest prize or the most outstanding one.

Hinata was walking next to him, she looked happy. Some of her hair danced slowly to the cold night breeze. Winter could be felt around the corner. Tenten was walking between her and Neji, and both looked deep in conversation. She knew how much Tenten missed her team when she was sent on those long missions. Being away from home was something difficult for someone as homey as her, and Hinata certainly understood the feeling. Unlike Ino who was usually more outgoing and Sakura, who was somewhere in-between them.

Lee was walking next to Neji and to his left was Sakura, who looked amazing wearing the peony headdress Lee had bought her. For the first time in months, their generation was together. She had glimpsed Naruto around one of the stands with Shikamaru, who had dared him to solve a puzzle and he had chuckled seeing how poor Naruto struggled, knowing the pleasure it must have brought their strategic friend.

“There’s Ino,” she heard Tenten say.

“Guys! Chouji and I brought some Takoyakis! Just one each” She warned the group, and they wouldn’t dare mess up with her.

“They are very crunchy Tenten, I know how much you like Mrs. Unohana's cooking. So I bought an extra dish, just for you!” Chouji offered her the octopus snack.

The noise of the streets concealed the rumbling of the girl's stomach but Hinata was able to hear the girl’s stomach rumbling, making her laugh, covering her face with the back of her hand. It hadn't been her intention to react so visibly, yet it had been impossible to dissimulate. One second later she heard the munching and the nasal hums coming out of her starving friend.

“Hmph! You are a god-sent!” Tenten was practically vibrating with joy, satisfaction painted on her face even as her eyes were closed. It was funny to see how much she enjoyed her food.

“What time is it?” asked Sakura “I think we should start looking for a place to look at the fireworks”

“I have the perfect spot, we can get going,” said Ino, pulling Tenten from her arm.

“Umm sorry... but... Neji-on-Neji and I-” she corrected herself “I mean, we have to get going” Hinata could only hope for Neji to follow her lead.

“So early?” inquired Tenten. Disappointment was clear in her intonation “what about the fireworks?”

“Don't worry Tenten, I'll make it up to you” Neji walked towards the girl, kissing her forehead while she was still she chewing the octopus snack “Welcome back to Konoha”

“You better Hyumga or I'llm hunt you downm”

“I know,” he said, knowing perfectly well that she would.

Everybody said their goodbyes leaving the two Hyugas alone. Seeing how Sakura walked closer to Lee as the group moved away.

“N-Neji, can we look for another place to look at the fireworks?”

“Of course. Let's go before people start dispersing” He said, offering his arm to her, to which she obliged.

𓄹 ⊹   ᳝ ࣪⠀.  ִ  ་  ּ 𓄹 ⊹   ᳝ ࣪⠀.  ִ  ་  ּ 𓄹 ⊹   ᳝ ࣪⠀.  ִ  ་  ּ

”Have you been enjoying yourself?”

“I have” said Hinata, starting to feel nervous again. Preparing herself mentally for the conversation she wanted to have, a part of her wasn't ready to confront him. She needed to confirm it though. She needed to know what this all had meant. The noisiness of the streets was being left behind as they continued looking for an area where they could watch the fireworks without disruption.

“These last few years haven't been the best ones” he listened attentively “it was nice to see everyone again doing something that wasn't related to a mission” a sad smile adorning her face “I think that sometimes the manor feels too big and it's corridors too long” she sighed.

“I know these years have been difficult without her” he stopped her halfway through the steps, his fingers tightly wrapped against her wrist, the tension of her arm making her turn around. Both intensively looking into the eyes of the other “it... may not seem like it but... we've got you Hinata-sa... Hinata. Kaya, Ko, Tokuma, and the rest of us. We've got you” her smile continued to be sad.

“Thank you” her eyes started watering a little “I think... I am happy today. Being with my friends and with... with you -  here, in this festival, it's something I ought to be thankful for after everything that has happened after the war and the attack. But, I want you to know that you are not obligated to keep me company if...”

“It's an honor to be here with you tonight. And the fact that you allow me to enjoy this moment with you... I should be the one thanking you”

“Neji” she said a little more sternly “we talked about this, didn’t we? Please don’t talk to me as if I am above you. We said we could be friends, right?”

“We are'' his heart struggling to recognize if they actually were, creating a pain deep in his chest. Friends... that sounded so light, breezy and joyful, all the things they hadn't been in the past. He felt the ache increase by the second. Hinata knew him, she could recognize the pain, and the bittersweet sensations that invaded him. But she didn’t want to insist on the topic now, at the risk of discomforting him.

Her hand rested on top of his, reassuringly.

･˳ . ⋆   .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆   .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆   .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆   .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆   .˳⁺⁎˚

Festival day! - 11:00 pm

The fireworks had started to pop, the radiant colors were decorating the night sky and she was feeling a little self-conscious, but happy and grateful at the same time. She had had a good evening, everybody seemed to be having a good time. She could see Ino and Tenten some meters away, their eyes shining with awe. It warmed her. They had been very supportive and encouraging.

Lee was next to her and if it weren't for her sandals, she wouldn't be able to reach his shoulders. She hadn't noticed how tall he had become.

“Is everything ok Sakura-san?” His sudden address made her blush “Don't tell me I have sauce on my face!” He was starting to get flustered “I'm sorry, can you excuse me while I go and clean myself?”

Sakura felt some anxiety in the pit of her stomach, she hadn't intended to make Lee feel as if she had been examining him. So she took her hands and canalized chakra from her hands, hoping to soothe the adrenaline running through Lee's system.

“Please, calm down! There's nothing on your face!” Lee was perplexed “I'm sorry, I didn't mean to stare”

“Why were you staring?” Lee was unsure if this was good or something to worry about.

“You are very tall, I - I was just remembering when we used to be the same height”

“It's been a decade, Sakura-chan. Our youthfulness has been in full swing ever since” He displayed his bright smile, taking after his sensei. She smiled back a little timidly, still unsure about the whole thing. Happy, but unsure.

“Yes, it's been 10 years and many things have happened during them. Many things have changed, I have changed” she said thinking about all the lows she had gone through.

“You had to, anyone under your circumstances would have to. Now you are focused, better and accomplished” she could feel her cheeks get warmer with every word “But some things don't change, you still have a good heart, you are still caring and noble” She felt her heart skip a beat and almost unconsciously raised her hands pulling him down, locking their lips together. Through her hands she felt the tension of his neck becoming more prominent, which made her realize what she had done. When she reacted and they separated they were equally stunned.

“Oh... am... I” Sakura couldn't find the words to say anything productive.

“It's ok Sakura-san, don't think about it” seeing how the panic was settling in her “We can go by as if nothing happened”

“No”, she said in a whisper. The fireworks had stopped and people had started going their way “I... I want to-to-” her hands were trembling. Lee was speechless, from all the ways that he had imagined the night ending, this wasn't one of them. He tried to smile warmly.

𓄹 ⊹   ᳝ ࣪⠀.  ִ  ་  ּ 𓄹 ⊹   ᳝ ࣪⠀.  ִ  ་  ּ 𓄹 ⊹   ᳝ ࣪⠀.  ִ  ་  ּ

BOOM!

The explosions of the fireworks could be heard. Her eyes opened wide with surprise. She had been so engulfed in their conversation that the time had gone over their heads without either of them noticing.

Their conversation could continue later.

She pulled him up, encouraging him to continue going up those stairs. She had decided it, this was not a moment for sorrow.

“Common, let's get somewhere we can watch them better” She started pulling him up again.

They had found a pretty isolated spot, just for the two of them. Something that would be considered a feat under any circumstances considering how many people had attended the festival. But it was just the two of them and the beautiful fireworks in the sky. They had been able to go up one hill which wasn’t as close to the festival as other watching spots, but she needed this moment just for the two of them. A tear running down her cheek.

“Here” Neji extended a handkerchief in her direction.

“Thank you” she was feeling self conscious. “Sorry”

“You don’t have to apologize” He took a deep breath “It’s ok” She smiled at him.

The fireworks had started to slow down, the buzzing becoming less and less frequent.

“You know” she said while clutching the handle of her new handbag “I... I wanted to ask you something....” He looked at her expecting the question, but she didn't say anything.

Her hands went over the hardware of the burgundy bag, the one he had bought her, and saw how her fingers pulled something out, something that looked like a piece of paper. She unfolded it until a white envelope was extended to him. A cold chill running down his spine.

He looked down at the envelope, feeling the smooth texture of the paper though his fingers.

He had been left speechless, she had known. Since when?

“ How? ”

“I went to you room with the intention of leaving you a note, and… saw them in the drawer”

“How long have you known?”

”A week...”

A week. He repeated mentally. Fuck

He felt so embarrassed, he didn’t know how to face her.

“Thank you” he heard her say, still paralyzed, processing the fact that she had been aware that he was the one sending her the gifts she had been receiving. He felt how her arms wrapped around his torso and a pair of lips landed on his jawline

𓄹 ⊹   ᳝ ࣪⠀.  ִ  ་  ּ 𓄹 ⊹   ᳝ ࣪⠀.  ִ  ་  ּ 𓄹 ⊹   ᳝ ࣪⠀.  ִ  ་  ּ

“Akimichi’s? I bet Shikamaru-san and the others are there for the after” Tenten pulled Ino until they reached the main street.

“No telling the others! I will just pay for your drinks!”

“Not a chance, of course I’ll tell them you are paying” Tenten was not going to let it slide so easily. Especially since she hadn’t been out of town for so long.

Ino rolled her eyes exasperated.

“Fine, you win this time”

･˳ . ⋆   .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆   .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆   .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆   .˳⁺⁎˚ ⋆･˳ . ⋆   .˳⁺⁎˚

Festival day! 11:30 pm

“Do you mind if I walk you home?”

“No” she shook her head trying to relax a little. Still feeling conflicted about pursuing whatever this was with him, she still thought that he deserved someone with less baggage. But something within her was boiling, full of curiosity.

The fireworks had stopped and everybody had started to go back to their homes. She looked around quickly, insecure about the whole thing but wanting to be brave at the same time. Ino and Tenten were nowhere to be seen, magically they seemed to have vanished. She knew Ino would want to know everything next time they met up.

The streets were lively, a lot of people had gone to bars and restaurants after the festival, civilians and ninjas could be seen on the streets walking under the black sky.

Fifteen minutes later she was standing in front of her apartment door.

Sakura stood on the tip of her toes, Lee could feel the warm breath of the girl raggedly caressing his face and then she whispered “Thank you for walking me and... Thank you for the headdress, it is quite beautiful” she finished pushing her rose petal lips against his cheek.

“Good night Lee-kun”

Lee was petrified.

How long had she known?

𓄹 ⊹   ᳝ ࣪⠀.  ִ  ་  ּ 𓄹 ⊹   ᳝ ࣪⠀.  ִ  ་  ּ 𓄹 ⊹   ᳝ ࣪⠀.  ִ  ་  ּ

The cold had become more and more prominent by the hour. She was almost to the point of shivering. Neji felt a little apologetic, neither of them had imagined that it would get that chilly, considering how pleasant the previous nights were. Nor, how cold it would feel despite their clothes, which were not light.

The areas leading to the Hyuga district were always more quiet compared to other areas of Konoha, especially since their neighbors had been the Uchihas, and their district continued being largely unoccupied.

He heard a dry pant coming from Hinata.

Achoo!

“Sorry,” she said, a little embarrassed.

“Bless you” he replied automatically “We should be arriving in 5 minutes, so hang on tight” He added a little shyly.

“Thank you Neji” She had noticed how quiet he had been acting since she had shown him the envelope. And in theory she knew that that was a normal reaction to expect, but she didn’t want him to retract. “It's your fault, you know?” He was feeling confused about her comment, and she was enjoying the confusion in his eyes. She laced her left hand around his right arm, a part of her feeling quite playful “You've created a monster now” Smugness poured from her voice. “I have really come to enjoy macarons” 

“ Oh ” He hadn’t expected her comment. Trying to process how close she was to him at that moment.

She was certain now, she was not misinterpreting his actions. The way in which he had retracted after she had shown him the envelope. The way in which he was always attentive around her. The way in which he looked at her. The way in which he always seemed to be there, just when she needed him. Her heart pounded really hard for a moment.

Thanking Hanabi at the shrine had really lifted her spirit and somehow provided her with clarity.  

To be continued...

✦ P R E V - I N D E X - N E X T ✦

✦ N E J I H I N A F A N F I C D I R E C T O R Y ✦

☆ P E R M I S S I O N S T A T E M E N T

Hi! so here is my policy:

Ask permission for:

Translating my fics to other languages (I do my own translations for english or spanish).

Recording podfics.

No need to ask permission for:

Making fanarts

Companion or reimagining fics

Other inspiration works

Big No-nos:

Reposting my works to other sites and accounts under any circumstances, I manage my own works.

Thanks!

#ShiningStarDan - Fanfics #nejihina fanfics #nejihina fanfic #nejihina #neji x hinata #Fanfic: Peculiar Considerations For Atonement #NejiHina Kinktober #ShiningStarDan - NejiHina Kinktober #ShiningStarDan - Fics in English

[strywoven]

cont'd. // @drippingheart

ONE DAY , he says ⸺ The words ( which might be mistaken for a promise ) inspire in the devourer a s m i l e , an affirming hum.  It is only a meager solace , but one she graciously accepts ( her soul , too , is quelled by the prospect ; imagine , a world where even the condemned might know salvation ) .  ❝ Such a day cannot come soon enough , ❞ The reply is not bitter so much as wistful , her humor m e l a n c h o l i c .  ❝ Glad I am to provide a hand to serve the purpose , at least. ❞  And she means that.

His question feels warranted , the slightest of pries into the woman newly welcomed into the cause.  It is not lost on her that t h i s appears to be a commonality they share ( & one she does not often find footing with amongst others very often , either ) ; she has seen it , he understands what it is like to LOVE & CHERISH a child.  Thus his prompting about own daughter is , despite her secrecies , a w e l c o m e one ; it provides a push in the RIGHT & PROPER DIRECTION , setting the foundation for what might well be a stronger connection going forward ( with any luck ) .

Her hand dips into the fold of her waistcoat , within an inner-pocket , to procure her wallet , and then a set of pictures carded together.  Holding them , h e s i t a t i n g , Verona at last makes the offer , handing them to Suguru so he can see for himself ( there are several , unsurprisingly ; memories tucked together of three people – verona , her wife & her daughter – frozen in moments of laughter & bliss ) .  After watching him sift through the images she steps closer , leaning in to tap her clawed digit to one of them – a photo of a spritely little thing , all frazzled hair and beaming grin with missing tooth , currently holding up a poorly made ceramic monster ever so proudly – and speaks , voice hush and bittersweet , ❝ We named her Ravona.  And she was so … ❞ The thought trails , her eyes drifting over the photos , distant and detached , fading off into a place bygone before eventually continuing , ❝ … P e r f e c t .  Sweet and spirited , and a natural talent.  You know , she would always i n s i s t I use my illusions for her to play pretend.  She was so fascinated by how it worked , always asking questions , always eager to learn and understand and …— ❞

Her voice audibly BREAKS .  Verona gathers herself , shaking her head and taking a breath before pointing to another image in the fold , this of a refined and demure woman perched by the window with a mysterious little smile as she tilts her head back to regard the camera.  ❝ — And this gorgeous woman was my wife , Lenore.  You would have hated her , she was human.  She had cursed energy but no grasp on how to control nor utilize it , neither would her family allow the education for it.  I remember them DESPISING ME ; which only made our runaway marriage that much more thrilling in the end.  It was her idea that we settle and have a child at all. ❞

It falls quiet for several long measures.

❝ … They … They were KILLED .  Taken from me due to my own sins.  I live with that grief and remorse , the image of their bodies , every day I survive them. ❞

#❧ ⸺ how can ( queue ) say there is no story here ? ❞ #❧ ⸺ ch. verona | threads ❞ #❧ ⸺ ch. verona | verse ix: jjk ❞ #drippingheart #iirc you said you wanted to springboard off this for our thread sooo #i want you to picture maes hughes levels of pictures being thrown at him rn #literally... dozens... #but rather than bragging verona is fkn mourning and i ; ;

[flfverse]

FF snippets

i promised these to anon and then i Forgot about them (also i planned to write some but it got away from me) so here!!! are some bits from my wip doc for you all. come get yalls angst

one:

Hawks turns his head away from the next bite without really meaning to, closing his eyes so he doesn’t have to see it, or Dabi’s face.

“Hawks?”

But he’s not allowed to refuse food. He needs to eat to grow, to get stronger, to be better, and therefore it is not an option.

“Keigo, check in. What’s your color?”

He barely hears the question, caught in his own head as he is. He’s not allowed to refuse. So he turns his head back, opens his eyes, and carefully takes the meat. Chokes a little when he swallows, trying to hide it. His stomach is churning.

Dabi slides off the couch, falling to one knee, and cups his face. He sighs at whatever he sees there.

“Okay, birdie, I’m calling yellow.”

Hawks closes his eyes again, childish. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. Talk to me. What’s in your head?”

two:

He’s laughing, Dabi’s laughing, the air smells like cinnamon, and when his phone rings he expects it to be one of the League or maybe Miruko and answers automatically, on speaker since his hands are messy.

“‘Ello?”

“Keigo.”

At the first note of his father’s voice—older, rougher, quieter, but undeniably the same one that snapped at him to stop being so annoying, that told him he was useless, that grunted as the belt came down.

Hawks drops the phone.

“Birdie?”

“I’m okay,” he says, but his voice sounds far away. He reaches down for the phone, hoping it isn’t cracked.

“Hawks.”

He’s really tired. Everything’s just…gray. Why is it gray? What’s wrong with him?

“Hawks.”

He blinks until a little of the color comes back. “Yeah?”

“You looked like you were gonna fall off the couch,” Dabi says softly.

Hawks glances down at himself. He is perched on the back of the couch, his usual movie-night spot, and he does feel a little unsteady, but…how the hell did he get here?

He can feel everyone staring at him.

“Sorry,” he tells them. “Just tired.”

three

“Dabi? You alive in there, hot stuff?”

A muffled noise like a groan, then Dabi’s voice. “Bir’ie?”

“Yeah, can I come in?”

Another noise, this time vaguely affirmative. Hawks pushes the door open.

Dabi is lying on his bed, buried under his blankets. From the messy state of his hair, he’s probably been there a while. Even as Hawks walks over he can tell Dabi isn’t fully present; he looks like he’s barely keeping his eyes open.

“Are you sick?” Hawks asks. “Shigaraki said you should’ve warned me about something.”

“‘s bein’ fuckin’ ‘matic,” Dabi mumbles. “‘s fine.”

Hawks takes off one glove to press his hand to Dabi’s forehead. He feels warm, but his usual sort of warm.

“If you’re not sick, what’s going on?”

“I’m fuckin’ tired is wha’s goin’ on.”

“I can see that,” Hawks says, a little amused. “Did you not sleep last night or something?”

“Too many questions,” Dabi mumbles, swatting clumsily at him. He misses completely.

sorry i literally only write angst <3 ALSO!!! i have something exciting planned for next week, provided life doesn’t knock me on my ass again. i welcome speculation about any of the above :3 i miss updating & running this blog, ugh

#d/s au #free falling #flfverse #dabihawks #snippets #i’m not dead i promise i just have lots happening #and writing is not one of them as often as id like :((

[doumadono]

Emergency request

Been dealing with self esteem and weight issues lately which I know I can't control but it's slowly getting the better of me.. could I request the clones comforting an s/o with weight issues and low self esteem?

A/N: remember, it's okay to reach out for support and help during difficult times. Take things one step at a time, be kind to yourself, and focus on self-care and self-love. You're stronger than you think ♥

EMERGENCY REQS MASTERLIST

Karaku

Karaku, with his easygoing personality, constantly reassures his S/O that he loves her just the way she is. He adores her for her uniqueness and never wants her to change for anyone.

He surprises her with little acts of kindness, like preparing her favorite snacks, to make her feel pampered and loved.

Whenever she has a bad day, he'll hold her close, reminding her that she's precious to him.

He encourages her to join him in fun and low-pressure physical activities, like going for a relaxing walk or having a light workout together, to boost her confidence and mood.

Karaku often compliments her genuine qualities, emphasizing her intelligence, kindness, and resilience. He reminds her that her worth extends far beyond physical appearance.

He enjoys dedicating his time to his S/O, reveling in the act of worshipping her body. After passionate moments together, he refuses to let her conceal herself, choosing instead to bestow kisses upon every inch of her form while whispering sweet affirmations about her beauty. "I can't help but adore every curve and contour of your body. You're a work of art."

"Remember, you're stuck with me, no matter what, khe-khe! and that includes all your beautiful imperfections."

Urogi

Urogi is incredibly attentive, always listening and understanding her feelings. He never judges his S/O.

He's known for his sassy and playful demeanor, often teasing his S/O with cheeky comments and light-hearted banter.

When his S/O is feeling down or experiencing a mood drop, he gently comes close and envelops her within his expansive wings, whispering to her that tears aren't necessary, and that this moment of sadness will eventually pass.

He's a fantastic cuddler, and he loves to hold her close and reassure her that she's safe and cherished in his arms.

Urogi encourages her to set achievable goals for herself, focusing on self-improvement rather than striving for unrealistic standards of beauty.

"You're unique, and that's what makes you so incredibly beautiful to me. Embrace your individuality."

Aizetsu

Aizetsu, being a bit mysterious and reserved, tends to show his love through actions rather than words. He constantly supports her, offering to help his S/O with tasks.

He often takes her to peaceful and natural places, like a serene forest or a calm lake, to help her connect with the beauty of the world beyond appearances.

Aizetsu is a great listener, often sitting with her in quiet moments, giving her space to express her thoughts and feelings. He never interrupts and offers a patient ear to help her release her burdens.

His presence alone provides a sense of comfort and understanding, as he values her words and emotions.

"Don't feel that way, my love, it's truly heart-wrenching, and it stirs up an overwhelming urge within me to shed tears."

He appreciates her artistic and creative side, encouraging her to express herself through writing or other creative outlets, helping her boost her self-esteem.

Aizetsu values her inner strength and resilience, often reminding her that she's much stronger than she thinks, and he's there to support her no matter what.

He's a master at creating an aura of calm and serenity, helping her relax and find inner peace when her self-esteem issues become overwhelming.

"Look at the stars. They don't judge. They just shine, much like your inner beauty."

Sekido

Sekido's anger is like a protective shield around his S/O. Whenever they face a threat or feel vulnerable, his anger flares up, ready to defend and shield them from harm.

Despite his constant anger, Sekido's unwavering support is evident in his actions. He's quick to take action when his S/O needs help, making sure she's always defended and cared for.

"Tsch! Don't keep things from me, weakling. It's fucking frustrating."

His anger also acts as a healing force, as he fiercely helps his S/O confront her fears and insecurities. He encourages her to face challenges head-on, providing the motivation and courage she needs to overcome obstacles.

Sekido cherishes the quiet moments with his significant other. He understands the importance of relaxation and calm, and in these moments, he is surprisingly gentle and tender.

He often points out her accomplishments and the things she's proud of, emphasizing that her worth goes beyond her physical appearance.

"Don't let fear hold you back. You've got this, and I'll be right there beside you."

#emergency request #kny headcanons #sekido x reader #urogi x reader #karaku x reader #aizetsu x reader #hantengu clones #demon slayer headcanons #hantengu clones x reader #urogi headcanons #sekido x y/n #kny sekido #kny urogi #urogi x you #aizetsu x you #aizetsu x y/n #karaku x you #x reader #demon slayer #kimetsu no yaiba #karaku fluff #aizetsu fluff #sekido fluff #urogi fluff #urogi x y/n #karaku x y/n #sekido x you

[supermarine-silvally]

10, 23, 24 for Portada!! -🍂

Not me procrastinating on writing Portada by writing different, shorter Portada lmao

anyways welcome back to 🔥Portada Hour⚔️ !!

Ship Ask Game

10. Do they share any hobbies or interests? How do these things bring them together?

I dunno if this really counts as an interest or hobby but they train together! They both want to get stronger, and can go a little nuts (provided they're not using haki) because their Devil Fruits just happen to make it so neither of them can really hurt the other. They also love being out in nature together; Yara so she can collect her plants and Ace because he's a feral jungle boy who needs to be set loose in his natural habitat sometimes lol (he tries to impress her with his hunting skills like he'll just haul over some massive boar he managed to take down like "Yaraaaa!! Look what I brought!! 😁" And she'll pat him on the head like "That's nice, Ace. Thank you. 😌")

23. What are the defining characteristics of their relationship?

Loyalty and intense, dedicated, passionate love. They are so ride or die for each other. Probably the most fated lovers I've ever written tbh

24. How do their personalities affect their relationship? Do their characteristics compliment each other, or clash often?

They are somehow simultaneously very similar while being very opposites attract. A lot of their trauma comes from the same place of desperately wanting to be loved and trying to find a place to belong in the world, so even though they appear very different on the outside (Ace with his sunshine golden retriever personality and Yara with her disgruntled black cat personality), they understand each other on a fundamental level. Their personalities complement each other nicely in their day-to-day lives-- Ace gives love where Yara craves it, Yara gives affirmation where Ace needs it-- and the only time where things really clash is when Yara wants her alone/quiet time and Ace gets all 🥺 about it, lol

#oc: bravada yara #ship: portada #otp: i'd burn the world for you #my ocs #asked and answered #chats with alvita #these two istg #it will never not be amusing to me how pouty and mopey ace gets when yara doesn't give him attention for 0.00001 seconds lmao #the reason why yara wins all their arguments isn't just because she's stubborn and usually correct #it's also because ace folds so easily #he has such overwhelming golden retriever energy #ace is just. the sweetest boy ever #oda really did give us this absolute ray of sunshine and then was like “sike!!” #this wonderful doting big brother who even goes out of his way not to harm marines #and then oda's like “hmm actually the wg wants him dead for the most unfair reason ever” and then proceeded to do THAT #i will never recover from marineford #(and neither will yara LMAO) #(unless i am kind to her and decide to remove the whole donut incident) #ace is the definition of too good for this world #tysm for the ask!! <3 #and for encouraging the portada brainrot as always lol

[mumms-the-word]

Together

Day 8 of the BG3 Fic February Challenge

Sometimes you just have to write poetic BS instead of romantic BS because you love all the companions equally and you don't have enough Tavs yet to share the love with all of them.

Wyll Ravengard is BG3's biggest hype man and you cannot convince me otherwise. No companion has so much faith in you as he does, though honestly Halsin, Karlach, and Lae'zel are close seconds. But Wyll? We all need a hype man best friend like Wyll to encourage us when we're feeling at our worst or against odds that feel impossible.

So anyway, have a Wyll appreciate post in the form of a half-decent fic

Check out my masterlist of BG3 fics here!

---

8. "It will be okay as long as we're together."

---

Invi was convinced that Wyll Ravengard was incapable of doubt, especially in his friends. Nearly every word out of his mouth, when the days were tough and the battles long, were words of encouragement and affirmation. He saw the best in all of them. There was no convincing him that they could achieve anything short of a perfect victory in every circumstance, so long as they stayed together.

She noticed it first when Gale revealed his condition to them. As they pondered and worried where they might find enough magical artifacts to sustain him, Wyll had shrugged. 

As long as we work together, it should be easy. It will be all right, Gale. Seven heads are better than one.

When Mizora had visited and transformed him, gifting him devil horns and a devil’s eye, Invi wanted to repay his kindness back to him. She had mentally rehearsed the words she would say to him, wanting to get them right, even though encouragement didn’t come first nature to her. But when she spoke to him, letting him vent his frustrations against Mizora and the injustice of his pact, he ended with a sigh and shook his head.

It will be okay. Truly. So long as we stay together. It’s good to know I have friends at my side when she comes back.

When Lae’zel fell to her knees at camp, her faith in Vlaakith well and truly broken, anger and despair raging in her eyes and in her words, it was Wyll that had roused her back to action. 

Come on, Lae’zel. You’re better than this. Remember, we’re stronger together. We’ll find the answers you seek and all will come to rights.

Invi couldn’t fathom how he did it. How he kept up such relentless optimism even in the face of dire circumstances. When the shadow-cursed lands threatened to swallow them whole, and her dark urges threatened to consume her body and mind and tempt her toward worse and worse atrocities, against innocents, against Isobel, against the man she loved, Wyll’s hand on her shoulder provided comfort and focus.

Trust us to take care of you, Invi. When your dark desires threaten to overwhelm you, tell us. It will all be okay in the end, if we stick together and help one another.

He’d said much the same when Shadowheart emerged, broken and hollow, from the Shadowfell, her entire life upended by her decision to spare the Nightsong and defy her goddess. As she was emerging from the dark fog, Aylin’s words of truth giving her clarity and purpose, Wyll had smiled at her and offered her a little toast with his glass.

See? Your truth is finally dawning, Shadowheart. It will be okay, so long as you’re with us. We’ll help you find the light.

Even Astarion, who normally brushed off Wyll’s words as empty fairy tale promises and pointless platitudes, paused to consider his words one night. He’d spent several minutes pacing, trying to plan his battle against Cazador but failing at every turn because he didn’t know what awaited inside the mansion. When he’d paced past Wyll, who sat lounging by the fireplace in the room, Wyll had finally had enough, standing to block his path.

Astarion, stop. It will be okay. What can Cazador do against the likes of us? Trust me, we can put an end to his evil together.

So confident. So sure. Invi and Astarion had exchanged dubious glances, but Wyll never wavered. To him, defeat was unthinkable. Not that he was afraid of defeat—he just didn’t consider it as a possible outcome at all. Iniv wished she had his confidence. She wished she had his conviction.

The day Mizora offered up his father’s life in exchange for breaking the pact and Wyll agreed, Invi finally found the chance to give him comfort. She wrapped her arms around him the next morning, hugging him close, and spoke with all the conviction she could muster.

It will be okay, Wyll. As long as you’re with us, one day, I promise, you will be okay.

He had returned her hug easily and thanked her. When he pulled away, she saw the lingering sadness in his expression, felt his touch linger on her shoulder a moment too long before he collected himself. She remembered a moment, weeks ago, in a shadowed glade, when she had caught him dancing. He’d turned, surprised, and then offered her his hand with a smile and a bow.

Trust me. I can teach you. It will be okay. We can get through the steps together.

In another life, she thought to herself, one where she was normal, natural-born, not the spawn of a literal evil god and not plagued with desires to murder and mutilate…in another life, she might have taken his hand. She might have let him show her the steps to the dance, let him twirl her around, let him bring her close for a kiss. 

But this was not that life. So all she could do was shake her head and turn away before she could see his disappointment. 

She knew she had made the right decision, though, when they found themselves kneeling on the docks in Baldur’s Gate, hands reaching out for Karlach as the flames erupted from her body. Invi was frozen, unsure what to do, her mind screaming for her to tell Karlach to run to Avernus but her tongue dead in her mouth. It was Wyll, always Wyll, who gave voice to her silent plea. 

Come with me, Karlach. I’ll make sure Zariel will never touch you. Come with me to Avernus. Come with me and live!

Karlach had stared up at him through the flames enveloping her body, her hand clutched over her heart, wavering on the edge of doubt and trust. She had seconds to decide, but Wyll’s gaze on her was steadfast and full of faith. In her, in him, in their ability to defy the odds, even in the depths of the Hells themselves. What choice did she have but to relent under the force of his irrepressible optimism? 

Karlach, I swear. It will be okay as long as we’re together.

Those were the last words that Invi heard from him before they disappeared into the portal to the hells. Though Invi had struggled to believe him a hundred times before, she had no doubts now. As the portal closed behind them, preventing her and anyone else from following after, she took comfort in what she knew now to be fact, not speculation or hope. 

They would be okay as long as they were together.

#bg3 #bg3 fic #bg3ficfeb #my fic #oc #wyll ravengard #invi #i promise i know what dialogue tags and quote marks are #i'll get back to writing not poetic BS soon #where I actually use quote marks like a proper writer #but until then you can pry my love of italics from my cold dead hands

[drdemonprince]

Hey I’m the anon that messaged about your “fitness journey” which I now realize might have been a bit unspecific and poorly worded. I didn’t ask because of the reasons you mentioned but because of a section in one of your books where you talked about how working out helped you a lot mentally and also in your gender expression IIRC.

I struggle a lot with chronic pain and maintaining any type of muscle. Trying to regularly do physio exercises is really important but I just can’t do it. That was the bg of the q’

I appreciate the links you provided, thank you.

Thanks for clarifying and for understanding why I'd get a certain connotation from that phrase -- yes, I did talk in Laziness Does Not Exist about how I learned from weight lifting how to become a bit more comfortable with doing an activity I was "bad" at, and found that getting stronger was pretty gender affirming.

I don't think my life experience would map onto your situation in a helpful way at all unfortunately! for me, the process of getting into weight lifting was just as simple as a) finding follow-along weight lifting youtube videos online and b) doing them very consistently while c) being on a steroid that causes weight gain and muscle gain.

I have the kind of compulsive brain that sticks to whatever exercise schedule (or other rule set) I impose on myself. i never deviate from whatever i tell myself are the "rules" i have to follow in life, including during times of pain or illness, which is pretty dang unhealthy for me and certainly would be even worse for someone with a chronic pain condition so i can't say i recommend it. and being on a steroid is also like the majority of how gaining and maintaining muscle is possible for me.  i also have a ton more control over my schedule than most people do and work from home so i dont face the barriers the average person does in finding time for this stuff, so thats another reason not to use me as a basis for comparison. 

but, if youre just looking to get into lifting weights casually because you think it will help, there are a lot of good follow along channels on youtube that are free. resistance bands might be a gentler way to start though they can be a little tricky to position correctly. light dumbbells are good too and simpler to learn honestly. achv peak is a pretty great channel because it's a husband and wife duo who show multiple options for how to complete every exercise that they do, for various strength levels, and they dont talk about any triggering weight loss/diet culture stuff. some of their work outs are labeled as for beginners and everything is in a follow along format with good explanations of positioning. 

[kynsims]

Bonkai fic idea

Hi everyone!

So I had this Bonkai fanfiction idea about a magical school (ages 21+). I wrote a few fanfics in the past on fanfic.net but I haven’t really been active since 2020. ANYWAY.... I wanted to post this prologue to ge feedback/opinions on if I should continue. It would kind of show a Bonnie and Kai descent into Expression madness. I plan on it being dark, smutty, and very magical but I still struggle a bit with not deleting entire chapters if they aren’t going the way I want. So, without further ado... let me know what you think (PLEASE!)

Kai couldn’t help that he was really good at magic. 

Ever since he was a kid, he could easily master spells. It didn’t matter how difficult or convoluted they were; it all just seemed so simple to him that he barely needed to channel anything. Some would say that due to his twin, he always had a power source to channel, but Kai didn't see it that way. He was stronger and more powerful than his twin could ever be, so how the hell would he gain power from her? 

Sure, he had a big head, but he always backed it up. He resuscitated a snake in class once in front of the headmaster, who gave him a firm nod that his professor told him was a great sign. A sign that Kai was different (and better) than his peers. He kind of knew that, but it was always good to get some affirmations from a figure that he actually respected.

The snake was very much alive when Mr. Saltzman unveiled him for a simple anti-venom spell that Kai had already mastered, and the young Warlock warlock had to show off a little bit. And even though he succeeded in his third ever resuscitation spell (the first two beings were a spider and rat, nothing that would be missed), his bloodied nose and slight lightheadedness made him a bit angry.

Kai was angry that even with his intellect and power, he was still human. He still had magical limits that only the elders seemed to surpass. His school, full of the most powerful witches to exist, still had its own biological and Earthly limits. Even the strongest witches, like Sheila Bennett or his coven leader father, Joshua Parker, faltered in battle and struggled with magical exertion. He knew every spell in the book, but it didn’t mean he could handle them all.

But Kai was determined to handle it all, especially as he could be coven leader one day. He had to ensure he was the best because who would want to follow anyone lesser? 

Well, it’s not like his coven had a choice anyway. Covens weren’t a democracy. They were a monarchy. And Kai was next in line.

Or his sister, Jo, but she didn’t want it anyway. She would much rather be in medical school suturing wounds and providing lobotomies or something. Kai didn’t know or care about medical science outside of magic. When you have magic, why the hell would you need to know CPR? 

Anyway, the twins would have to duke it out when they turned 22, and whoever lost would be left without their magic or dead. Kai didn’t plan to kill his sister, the only sibling he could tolerate, but he didn’t mind killing the other set of twins, only a few years younger than himself and Jo. They should never have existed, but Joshua Parker felt it was only necessary to have more children and build an even larger coven. It also meant that Kai may have two wannabe coven leaders pestering him for more power once they were of age.

Kai didn’t mind the Gemini coven’s policies when he thought about just how powerful that celestial line was. And though he didn’t need to channel anyone or anything, it definitely helped stave off those annoying-ass nosebleeds. 

And Kai would combine his brains and the celestial brawn to create one fucking terrifying coven leader. One who would lead the thousands in his coven scattered around the world. One that had tens of thousands that died before him to channel. And being the coven leader, the opportunity to tap into even the darkest and most hidden magic was too tantalizing. Kai would salivate thinking about it.

He loved dark magic. Especially Expression. Expression was wild and wicked, and not every witch could do it. 

And yes, he knew that most didn’t consider Expression to be real magic. But it was. It helped with the nosebleeds, but it was way too obvious to try in public. He could only do it in the comfort of his own bedroom when he spoke to the shadows on his walls. He loved the feeling of his veins darkening and shuddering with power. 

However, Expression provided Kai with a new gift. One that he hid very well over the past few years. Ever since he saw the Bennett witch dabbling in Expression during the Summer Solscitice Party, he’d been intrigued. He wanted to prove himself to his coven, and that he did. Maybe Expression saw the darkness in him, and Bonnie saw the potential. She always told him it didn’t allow everyone to master it. Or maybe it wanted to take advantage of his young brain, which didn’t quite know what he was getting himself into at the time. 

But the gift was beautiful and evil. Everything that he loved about Expression. In a way, he could channel himself now. There was absolutely no way that Jo could win in the coven leader battle with Expression on his side. He could take any power he wanted from a magical source, human or inhuman. Bonnie, the good witch and his main competition for top student was his partner in crime. They allowed the dark ‘magic’ to consume them, and they each other. 

He knew it was twisted but he didn’t care. He had his gift. He had his girl. And now all he had to do was merge.

Kai was going to be the first Gemini leader siphon.

#bonkai #bonnie bennett #kai parker #bonnie bennett x kai parker